La Tormenta
by Jiraiya's Dream
Summary: Mired in the falsities of the ultimate illusion, Naruto tries a desperate gambit to restore the world. He failed. [NarutoMirajane]
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer****:** I don't own Naruto or Fairy Tail.

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**Prologue**

Rechecking the complex seals a fortieth time, the man pursed his lips as he steeled his fluttering heart. Once upon a time, he would have just activated the _fūin_ array and winged it; that segment of his life had passed rather quickly. Now, paranoia ruled his world as he peered cautiously at the massive array that spanned the entire floor of the basement he stood in, making sure not even a single stroke was overly thick or thin. Drawn in his own blood, the _fūin_ was one of the most complicated ever designed; even the lost Uzumaki _fūinjutsu_ couldn't hold a candle to what he had painstakingly formulated over the past year.

Hiding in dark, dank basements lit only by flickering candlelight would not have crossed his mind a year ago. As it were, the whole guerrilla shtick became necessity when Uchiha Madara managed to activate his _Eye of the Moon Plan_. Everyone but he and Kirābī succumbed to the _Mugen Tsukuyomi_ that was cast. The rapping _Kumo-nin_ only grinned at him disarmingly as he held off Madara for what scant time he could, to allow for his fellow _jinchūriki_ to escape and counter the sinister plan. Even the use of Kyūbi's chakra was ineffectual; all it did was make the ninjas sick from chakra poisoning. With even the most crude of dispelling techniques useless in the face of _Mugen Tsukuyomi_, he figured a return to his familial roots might provide him the answer.

Hence he journeyed across the lands in secrecy, using all his hard-earned abilities to avoid detection. He was genuinely surprised the masked man had not been able to track him down, but that surprise quickly evaporated as he realised just how much time he would need to create a counter. Since then, a healthy dose of paranoia and the most painful of chakra suppression seals have kept him from being found. However, it was barely a meaningful existence, with the whole world succumbing to a mindless fate.

He found nothing. There was no seal, no technique that could release the _Mugen Tsukuyomi_. Instead of letting despair overwhelm his increasingly fragile heart, he gained inspiration from the various male figures of his life. The greatest practitioner of _jikūkanjutsu_, according to Jiraiya, was lost to the world when the Nidaime Hokage sacrificed himself to protect the lives of his team from the _Kinkaku Butai_. But the concepts were still explored after the great man's death, and works like _Hiraishin no Jutsu_ were created and used to devastating effect. _Kuchiyose no Jutsu_ and _Kamui_ were also paragons of the fabled and exceedingly difficult art, but he was willing to try, even at the cost of his life. He was the last one standing, anyway. If he didn't do it, no one _could_.

With the idea to twist space-time to his whim and fancy, he settled down in a small village, where he hollowed out a place for his work underneath an abandoned straw cottage. Seals plastered the cottage above ground, preventing his enemy from discovering his location or worse, utilise his work for even more nefarious purposes. Half a year of head-scratching later, he had a design that he was confident in. Even Kurama expressed his admiration for the sheer complexity of the _fūin_, and was fully confident in his partner's array.

Time travel was merely an intriguing theoretical study for many _fūinjutsu_ experts until he found the dire need for such a crazy _fūin_ to work to specification. Sure, manipulation of space-time was almost commonplace, but to take a step backwards in time was deemed a pipe dream for even the most confident and skilled of _fūinjutsu_ masters. No one even had the bravery to create one, in fear of completely annihilating all life in the world. It was a distinct possibility that he tried to push to the back of his mind. No need the added stress of actually killing everyone in the midst of attempting to rescue them. Kyūbi helpfully reminded him of time paradoxes too, but given that nobody had actually jumped back in time before, he reckoned he could deal with the consequences when the array actually brought him to where he wanted to go.

Hesitating for the better part of a month, he had finally summoned the courage that he once possessed with abundance. He rationalised his fears by gathering equipment for the journey. As a man who didn't belong to that particular time (or parallel dimension, which was another realistic possibility he tried very hard to ignore), he would need weapons, clothes, and food to sustain himself without having to interact with anyone. There was no telling what sort of changes would happen if he spoke to even one person. The butterfly effect was often derided as a slippery slope fallacy by the scant few philosophers they had, but he knew better than to tempt fate.

Glancing one last time at his massive seal array, he swallowed nervously. Clasping his hands in a _hitsugi_ seal, his body was cloaked in a dense cloak of azure chakra. He would be lucky if he had a minute to activate his seal and avoid capture by Madara, which would finally seal the fate of the world. Even the multiple layers of seals he planted on the cottage would not be enough to mask the voluminous energy he was putting out. Without a sound, the chakra started to flow into the crimson array beneath his feet, the seal lighting up in a bright sapphire glow. The light engulfed his lanky form, and bit-by-bit, his body dissolved into brilliant particles that shimmered in the blinding glow of the _fūin_.

By the time Uchiha Madara arrived at the small cottage and eradicated the straw hut with all the impunity of a tantrum-throwing six-year-old child denied his toys, Uzumaki Naruto was nowhere to be found.

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His eyelids flew open to an unfamiliar ceiling. He hadn't felt the soft comfort of a mattress or the gentle warmth of a blanket for months. Casting his sharp gaze around, he quietly analysed his surroundings. The cosy home was built into what seemed to be the hollow of a massive tree. The walls were covered in green bark that pulsed with abundant life. Shelves of tomes were scattered around the place, along with a simple table that stood to a side, holding a pretty porcelain tea set on its top. A particularly large window that stretched from floor to ceiling was beside the bed, ensconcing the room with the sun's warmth. The view, however beautiful, held no interest to him at the moment.

But even the radiance of the sun was not able to elicit a smile from the emotionally and physically drained _shinobi_, far too jaded to appreciate the glow of the sun despite his lengthy disassociation from it. Struggling into a sitting position, he winced as he opened some fresh stitches. Crimson bloomed on the swathes of bandages that wrapped around his torso, arms and legs. Chalking it up to the stress of the travel, he spied his clothes and belongings sitting on several wooden barrels behind the head of the bed, completely unscathed. There was a certain wave of relief that swept his body then, but it was immediately replaced by concern. Would the person who brought him there be instrumental in the world? Would his presence twist the fates into something unfathomable? Would he be able to rescue his loved ones?

Shutting his eyes, he stilled his body as he crossed his legs into a meditative pose. Diving into his mind, he stifled a gasp as he was met with a blank, white space. There was nothing; it was reminiscent of the part of his mind Namikaze Minato brought him to when he helped subdue Kurama. Slipping out of his meditation, he cringed at the pain that blossomed from moving his hands together. Clapping them in a hand seal, he stimulated his chakra coils, looking desperately. A modicum of chakra remained in his reserves, most of it spent on the seal. But there was no taint to be found, no foreign chakra to be discovered. With no regard for his health, he ripped the bandages around his abdomen off. Even as he moulded the pitiful amount of chakra he currently held, he should see a large spiral seal array materialise on his skin. There was none.

A single tear coalesced in the corner of his brilliant blue orbs as he pondered the ramifications of that revelation. He no longer held Kurama. For a moment, he wondered if the _bijū_ missed him as much as he missed the fox. Laughing bitterly, he desperately hoped the reason for the disappearance of Kyūbi from his stomach was due to some time paradox. Gingerly lowering his bandaged feet to the carpet that covered the centre of the room, he wriggled his toes against the soft curls of the rug, feeling far more at home than he ever did back in Konoha, when things were still simple. Standing in spite of his severe injuries would usually garner much anger and exasperation from the medical staff in the hospital, but he always did it anyway. There was to be no exception here; he needed to know where he was.

Grasping the stiff support of the bed to steady himself, he inched his way towards the ornate door. Elegant curves were carved as part of the design of the wooden entrance, but Naruto had no interest in architecture, and couldn't tell which country that pattern would belong to. Every step was a mountain to climb; he never felt more grateful for Kurama's grudging assistance in the past until then. Stumbling on the edge of the carpet, he still managed to clutch the door handle in his haste. His knees hit the ground with a loud crunch, but the pain barely registered as the man pulled himself up with what he would call determination and what most would call sheer stupidity.

The door opened easily, and in his rush to see his current locale, he nearly stumbled down the steps that led to the house. The beauty of the landscape went unappreciated for the moment, as Naruto collapsed to his knees once more. A strangled sob made its way out of his throat, as he clutched his face in sorrow. The hot, unbidden tears leaked from between his calloused fingers as they hit his lap with soft plops, soaking the bloodied wraps with even more liquid.

Naruto knew most terrains by heart. He studied extensively, in order to be able to recognise his surroundings when he finally pulled off his time travel technique; in order to live off the land until he could bring Uchiha Obito down somehow. He knew the flora and fauna of the Elemental Countries by heart, and if his friends had been alive, they would be thoroughly amazed by the knowledge he gathered so meticulously.

He couldn't recognise any of it.

He had failed.


	2. Chapter 1: Fairy Tail

**Disclaimer****:** I don't own Naruto or Fairy Tail.

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**Chapter 1: Fairy Tail (X774)**

There was a certain sense of familiarity when he next opened his cerulean orbs. A stern frown on a wrinkled, elderly face greeted him. The woman had pink tresses that were secured in a bun by large pins with moon-shaped ends, which evoked dear memories of his first love, Haruno Sakura. Her wine-red eyes, so similar to Yūhi Kurenai's, served as another reminder of his failure. From his angle on the bed, he could only see the high collar of her crimson cloak, decorated by protuberances that resembled horns. Under the cloak, a white-collared, green shirt was tied shut by a black tie. His eyes were then drawn to her thin lips as she spoke. To his eternal surprise, he could understand the language despite the variances in dialect.

_A silver lining to a cloud I wish never existed_, Naruto thought morosely, as the woman ragged at him. "You fool! You only just survived by the skin of your teeth. If I hadn't found you, you'll be dead or eaten by the wild animals in this forest! Don't do something as stupid as getting out of that bed, you hear me?"

The blond man chuckled in nostalgia. _She sounds so much like Sakura-chan it's uncanny._ "Thank you."

The woman looked taken aback by the sudden expression of gratitude. She leaned back from her looming position above Naruto's head, huffing. "Whatever. Just don't do something stupid again."

"Where…where am I?" Naruto coughed, swivelling his neck to look at the pink-haired healer who no doubt patched him up. _Rather professionally too_.

"You're in the East Forest of Magnolia Town," the woman rolled her crimson eyes. "You don't even know where you collapsed with those injuries? Are you even stupider than you look? You're lucky this forest holds little danger. Were you in some fight?"

"No," Naruto replied softly. _I suppose there's no harm in revealing everything. I need all the help I can get now anyway._ "I'm not from this place."

"I can tell," the woman scoffed derisively. "You don't look local, that's for sure."

Naruto chuckled once more, nostalgia filling him. He had not had any human interaction for so long; it felt good to be having any form of conversation, even if all the words were barbed. A rasping cough escaped his mouth at that moment, leaving the old healer to fuss over him in her own, aggravating way. "I meant I'm not from this…dimension is the most likely probability, I think."

The woman gasped involuntarily, and the blond man fixed his steely gaze on the pink-haired healer. She was quick to gather her thoughts and fix a scowl upon her aged face, but it was not going to fool a trained ninja of Naruto's calibre. It might have escaped notice had Naruto been the young and brash child he was many years ago, but he was now far too skilled, too world weary to be deceived by that. "You know something about dimensional travel? How I can return home?"

A guilty look crossed her face at that moment, as she no doubt struggled to decide on her next words. Then, she shook her head, sighing to herself. "Yes. I too, am not from this dimension. I came from a parallel dimension called Edolas, a long time ago. Are you from Edolas as well?"

The spiky-haired man squeezed his eyes shut, a soft breath escaping his lips. The disappointment and resignation couldn't be clearer in his tired, hoarse voice. "No, I don't think so. Did they have ninjas in Edolas? The Elemental Countries? Konohagakure?"

"I'm sorry," she mumbled apologetically, understanding his plight far better than most would. "Where did you mean to go?"

Naruto smiled bitterly as he glanced at the perceptive woman. "Through time."

Her crimson eyes widened at the implications of Naruto's answer, before she patted the man on the shoulder as gently as she could manage without sending lances of pain shooting through his body. Her eyes were full of sympathy, and even the seemingly standard disgust in her tone was missing. "Make a new life here. It's peaceful enough, even if there are plenty of rowdy people I know who enjoy fighting too much."

"I…I failed everyone," Naruto whispered contritely, almost too quietly for the elderly woman to hear. "I'm not sure I deserve a new life when everyone else lost theirs."

"They don't deserve _you_ if they think that way," the woman growled fiercely, almost maternally. "You tried your best. You nearly died in the process. There's nothing else to say. Once you're healed, I'm sending you to an old friend of mine. He runs a guild in Magnolia Town. You'll be able to find employment and settle down there."

"May I know your name?" Naruto grinned weakly, his crumbling will to survive bolstered by the finality of her exclamation. "I am Naruto."

"Porlyusica," she answered promptly, before pushing his forehead down gently. "Now go back to sleep."

"Yes, ma'am."

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Porlyusica was rather exasperated when she found the unconscious man right in the middle of her herb shrubs. The blood that coated his body told her that he was probably some idiot who got into a fight and lost miserably, until she saw the extent of his severe injuries. A quick diagnostic told her of internal injuries that ought to have killed a man outright, instead of leaving him barely alive. The lacerations that littered his body were not consistent with weapons or magic, and it was rude to assume he was a ruffian before he could even plead his case. Curiously, all his items, including his clothes, were completely intact. That lent credence to the idea that he had not just stumbled out of a fight and was injured for other reasons.

Treating him, even with her considerable knowledge and power, was near impossible. She focused on the internal organs that were practically liquefied first; the cuts would have to heal on their own for the time being. Given his general state of health when she found him, she was rather surprised by how fast he healed, and how strong his constitution was. It was far from normal; even the high-level mages that she knew, all of them built like tanks due to the use of magic, could not compare with his rate of recovery.

Going out to gather more herbs, she returned to see him kneeling at her open front door, unconscious. As she dragged the man into her house once more, she noticed the tear tracks that ran down his face. She reckoned he must have realised something terrible, hence the crying. What she definitely didn't expect was for him to be a self-inflicted hero on some crusade to save his world by jumping through time, and ended up jumping through space instead, landing in their dimension. She knew enough about dimensional travel to understand that he would never get home, not without a way to mark his destination. He seemed to know as much the moment she mentioned Edolas, her true origins.

So used to noisy, obstinate, never-say-die members of Fairy Tail, she was rather shocked to hear the defeatist words that tumbled out of his mouth. She didn't know what sort of calamity had befallen his world, but for him to resort to something as risky as time travel (which she firmly believed was impossible), it must have been quite the disaster. He had been tight-lipped about his past, but she didn't think to pry anymore. She didn't like anyone digging into her history herself; might as well let sleeping dogs lie.

As the man recovered in mere days, he could be found sitting outside her home, on the soft grass. He seemed at home with nature, completely still in his meditative pose. Porlyusica, while not as great a sensor as her former teammate Makarov Dreyar, was far from incompetent. The golden-haired man was gathering magic at alarming rates. It didn't seem to affect any of the flora and fauna around him, in spite of the drain he must have put on his surroundings. Birds flocked to him, and insects respectfully circled his motionless form. Even deer, usually reticent around humans, visited the man during one of his meditation sessions.

When he snapped his eyes open, she was startled to find that he had red markings around his eyes, and his pupils had morphed into what resembled a frog's eyes. He corrected her; they were toad eyes, and it was a part of his sage training. She hadn't pegged a young man like him to be a sage of all things; usually people who called themselves sages were old crones like herself and Makarov. He informed her that the magic he had gathered was mixed with the chakra that he produced naturally within his own body, to form an even stronger energy that boosted his body to superhuman levels. Porlyusica wondered if the chakra pathways he spoke of were a parallel to Second Origin. It certainly seemed that way, given the amount of magic he had gathered just to mix with his own body's energies. And that was only one third of the total amount of energy he could store in his body!

He had tried some of his ninja techniques, as he called them. The one that supposedly summoned creatures didn't work even though it utilised space-time concepts; the azure-eyed man was pretty downtrodden by the failure of that one. The rest of them seemed to work fine; he had a huge array of abilities that even Porlyusica had to admit was impressive for a callow teen of his age. He mentioned that he had plenty more up his sleeves, but they were too destructive to try; the pink-haired healer was glad that at least he seemed to care for the environment.

She helped him along with his understanding of Earthland, explaining to him the magic that mages utilised for their various skills, the systems they had in place, and the societal customs they adhered to, amongst other things. He absorbed the information readily, and did not seem too bothered by the idea of monsters and dragons. He claimed to have never heard of such creatures existing in his world, and was more curious than afraid of the beasts that she mentioned. He was rather open-minded, though she supposed for someone to believe in time-travel, one would have to be quite willing to accept that the rules of nature could be bent. What were dragons anyway, when he could actually say he warped space-time in order to accomplish instantaneous movement?

During one of his meditation sessions, a small red fox came by, seemingly attracted by the rapport her patient was demonstrating with local animals. The canine snuggled into the teen's lap without a sound, and dozed off instantly. When the blond slipped out of meditation, he seemed rather pensive about gaining a new companion. Nostalgia crossed his face as he stroked the soft crimson fur of the fox, which only nuzzled further into the warmth of his lap. Porlyusica briefly wondered if he had a fox for a companion previously, before shoving the unnecessary musing out of her mind. He seemed pleased enough with the fox anyway, which was all Porlyusica needed to gruffly tell him that he ought to keep it with him. Sometimes, pets were good for psychological healing, even if they reminded him of his past.

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Naruto absentmindedly stroked the deep crimson fur of the fox he named Kurama, after the _bijū_ who was his only friend and ally left before he voluntarily tore himself from his own dimension. He briefly wondered how the original Kurama was doing, wherever he had landed. There had been no known records of attempts of time travel they could find; he didn't even consider what would happen to the demon in his gut when he activated the seal array. It was a very easy assumption to make; Kurama would just end up following him through the time stream. His presence might even act as an anchor, to ensure they didn't jump into some other dimension because of messed-up space-time coordinates. After all, the _bijū_ was intrinsically tied to the planet they lived upon.

Given that he ended up alone in Earthland, Kurama must have been left behind in their home dimension. At least, that was the conjecture that Naruto came to and wanted desperately to believe. There were no links back to the Elemental Countries, and since _Kuchiyose no Jutsu_ didn't work, it meant that the gap between the two dimensions was too great to breach with his chakra and the space-time technique. As a result, there was no way to check back on the status of his homeland, and no way for him to return to give his failed rescue attempt a second try. It was a very sobering thought.

He prayed Madara did not capture Kurama any time soon. Even if the world had succumbed to the madman's schemes, the strength of _Mugen Tsukuyomi_ was waning, albeit very slowly. The desperation of Naruto's gambit was due to his lack of knowledge on the time span for the weakening illusion. It could last for decades for all Naruto knew; there was no guarantee he would be alive and able to defeat the technique by the time it had deteriorated enough for Naruto to do something about it. It was the main reason why Kurama, and him by extension, were still being actively hunted by the ancient Uchiha. He needed the true Kyūbi's chakra to ensure that _Mugen Tsukuyomi_ would last for eternity. Kinkaku and Ginkaku's modicum of _bijū_ chakra just didn't cut it as Kyūbi stand-ins.

It was the most depressed he had ever been in his short life. Usually, any upset about his situation was overridden by his optimism and strength of will. He fought and fought, and never gave up. That was his _nindō_. But for him to work so hard in the most difficult of conditions, and end up abandoning everyone to their doomed fates inadvertently…it was the straw that broke the camel's back. He had lost all will to fight. There was nothing left for him, and nothing he could do for his loved ones. In his career, there was always a villain to beat up, a target to aim for, a mission to accomplish. Now, he was left bereft of his dreams, his goals, his ambitions. He was no better than Haku on the bridge that fateful day; he despised the _Hyōton_ user the moment he had given up on life, and he was the very same kind of person now.

He considered ending it all as well. There were no ties left for him to sever. No one in Earthland would miss him. But the thought of Porlyusica spending her time and energies healing him back to fitness made him reconsider. He put himself in her shoes, and realised how infuriated she would be if he just wasted all of her efforts by slitting his throat. He could just wait for the end of his days, meandering about without a purpose. Survival would be a cinch in a world without war. It just wouldn't be meaningful when he didn't have anything to live for.

The guilds that the pink-haired healer spoke of with such exasperated fondness seemed intriguing, but Naruto was not too interested. While the idea of having an entire surrogate family working, laughing and growing together was somewhat tantalizing, Naruto was not sure he ought to join such a group. He was an outsider, with little knowledge of their ways and customs. He was a killer while the legal guilds abhorred even the least dirty of jobs. As a ninja, he wouldn't fit. And joining a guild, finding his own patch of happiness; it felt like he was betraying everyone back in the Elemental Countries. Instead of saving them, or even dying in one last glorious battle with Uchiha Madara, he opted to jump into a peaceful world and enjoy the rest of his days.

Shaking his head to clear his morbid thoughts, he focused on the curious issue of magic. As Porlyusica gruffly explained to him, it was the spirit of nature and the spirit of the soul combining to form magical power. Eternano in the air was absorbed subconsciously into a magic container within each mage. It sounded awfully like chakra that was just floating all around them. Meditation brought him closer to nature, and he realised that the energy named Eternano was more like natural energy than chakra, even if they had their nuances. When he successfully merged that with his own abundant well of chakra, he found it to be somewhat lacking compared to natural energy. He supposed it was due to the density of the energy; Eternano was less concentrated than natural energy. He also found out he could gather Eternano while moving, another property that differed from natural energy; he didn't need to concentrate so much to mix sage chakra given that Eternano was less dense than natural energy, and it was far easier without the possibility of turning into a toad.

His chakra, being both an Uzumaki and the Kyūbi_ jinchūriki_ for the better part of sixteen years, was exceedingly strong and dense. Porlyusica theorized that his chakra was the equivalent of Second Origin within mages, a separate part of the magic container each person possessed. It was difficult to access for all but the strongest of mages, and provided a great boost in power when opened up. It still used Eternano, but for the pink-haired healer, any similarity would soothe her unease. Naruto had a superhuman constitution, with an anatomy that had enough differences with Earthland mages to be classified as a humanoid alien already. Porlyusica claimed she hated humans, but she definitely hated the unknown even more.

Being distantly related to the Senju, his chakra leaned heavily towards Yang. Coupled with the Kyūbi's Yang chakra sealed within him, he was effectively nature's fertilizer. Even as he sucked up Eternano to enter _Sennin Mōdo_, he was encouraging the growth of wildlife with the enriching chakra he was exuding from his pores. Kurama came to his side due to his integration with nature through _senjutsu_, and given he stuck around for nearly a month; the fox had passively absorbed plenty of Yang chakra. He was not very surprised by the first words that tumbled out of the crimson fox's mouth; he had seen more than enough of talking animals in his lifetime. He was, however, shocked when it managed to gather Eternano until it was overflowing into a visible aura. He resolved to teach the little critter some tricks in the future.

Training was kept to just replicating his entire _jutsu_ repertoire. He didn't want to risk destroying the beautiful habitat where Porlyusica had made her home in. Naruto expected she would be fairly cross if he went about destroying peaceful glades and serene streams. It wasn't long before he could pull off most of his moves, with the exception of the _Rasengan_ variants he could execute in his _Kyūbi Chakura Mōdo_ and _Bijū Mōdo_. He was infinitely glad that he had gleaned plenty of techniques from Jiraiya's notes before his arrival in Earthland; it made him more versatile, and allowed him to create even more varied identities. Replicating his mother's chakra chains was quite invigorating; he was glad to have unique techniques of both parents in his hands.

Given she had seen many of his myriad _jutsu_, Porlyusica had no qualms stating he was potentially at the level of the Ten Wizard Saints. Naruto was skeptical about her rather blasé judgement, but accepted the praise. He figured she was trying to give him a goal to aim for. While becoming a guild master sounded somewhat like becoming Hokage, Naruto had long forgone that dream of his. Becoming Hokage quickly took the backseat when the fate of the entire world was at stake. He wasn't sure about his true leadership capabilities anyway. For all his talk about becoming the greatest Hokage ever, Naruto had all his faults cruelly exposed by the war. He knew enough about himself to recognise that he was far from Hokage material. He had the power, but not the brains.

Porlyusica's stories of Fairy Tail, a guild she obviously loved dearly and missed terribly, were full of people exactly like that. If Naruto had been a year younger, fresh into the war, he might have enjoyed his new life in Earthland, fitting into Fairy Tail like a glove. As it was, he had a year to turn cynical and jaded about world affairs, and wasn't too sure if he could even pretend to enjoy being the Naruto of old anymore. His mind, when not emptied during meditation, was busy crafting aliases and false identities, obsessively inventorying his large cache of equipment, and pondering the merits of becoming a hermit. He was pretty sure joining a dark guild would suit a ninja like him far better. Only the threat of being hunted (again) kept him from doing so.

But joining a guild meant he could stop taking advantage of Porlyusica's grudging hospitality. He could find work, make money, and research dimensional travel further. Maybe one day he'll find some method to get back to his homeland; or maybe he'll just pull the original time-travel array he designed and keep trying and trying until he made it back to the Elemental Countries. Maybe he could even become a Magic Council member, and access their archives to look for research in the field. It was the most vague of plans, and Naruto feared he might one day grow too comfortable in Earthland, but it was worth a shot.

As similar as Porlyusica was to an older Sakura, even he would get tired of the constant nagging.

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It was a full month before Naruto deemed himself ready to face the wider world. Taking his time to recover his body and enrich his mind, he was a mage in all but name. Porlyusica privately thought the sapphire-eyed man was good to leave her abode two weeks earlier, but she couldn't find the heart to chase the blond out. While he had regained some cheer, he was still very prone to bouts of melancholy. She wasn't sure if he was mentally fit to assume the role of a mage, but he wasn't displaying any signs of severe mental instability. If he had coped with the weight of the world on his shoulders for as long as he claimed he had, Porlyusica was sure he could handle all the standards that a legal mage abided by.

As he was packing his belongings into a series of scrolls (a branch of skills Porlyusica found to be quite similar to _Requip Magic_), she offered to cut his blond hair like she had done for Makarov many times before. The spiky locks had reached the nape of his neck, and his fringe covered his forehead and shadowed his brilliant blue orbs. Two long bangs framed his tanned face, and got into his face just about every time there was a breeze. He declined the offer politely, citing something about using his hair as a weapon. She chalked that up as another one of his abilities, and pointed him in the direction of Magnolia Town.

Naruto thanked her profusely for her impeccable aid, but Porlyusica waved them away brusquely, her hand subconsciously edging towards her broom. Sensing that her anti-human sentiments were going to make themselves known before long, the blond man bade her a hasty goodbye. The travel to Magnolia Town was slow; Naruto was in no rush, and rather enjoyed taking his time for once. Ninjas usually led a hectic lifestyle, and never really gave themselves time to kick back and relax.

The forest gave way to a beautiful town, arranged roughly in a grid-like pattern. Naruto walked up a tree to get a better view, Kurama cradled snugly in his arms. There was a giant lake that stretched beyond even his enhanced eyesight to Naruto's right, and from his precarious perch on top of a tree, he could identify several landmarks. According to Porlyusica's instructions, Fairy Tail's guild headquarters was situated on the reclaimed patch of land that sat above the shores of the lake. His keen eyes spotted the tall building easily; after all, it was one of the biggest buildings in the small town.

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Makarov Dreyar yawned as he entered his chambers to rest for the night. Shutting the door behind his diminutive frame, he walked to his closet, ready to shed his regular clothing for his pyjamas. Opening the closet doors with a little magical stretching of his arms (for he was too short to reach the closet door handles like he could before), he stared thoughtfully at the neat stack of pyjamas that sat within. "You know, you're quite the scary guest. Might I suggest approaching us in the day next time?"

A muffled snort filled his ears. Heedless of the potential danger, he changed his clothes right there. He didn't even care if the person was watching him. The intruder could look at his wrinkled old butt for all he cared. There was a creaking noise, as the trespasser no doubt filled his wooden seat. Makarov was pretty certain the man had meant to make the sound; possibly as an indication that he was no threat. For someone to slip pass his runic wards with such ease pointed to skills that would preclude mistakes such as making wooden chairs creak.

"I'm sorry to approach you this way, but I'm not too fond of large groups at present moment," a man's voice replied quietly.

Makarov turned around calmly to gaze upon the person who stepped into his room. He had a mop of tousled, spiky blond hair; the third guild master of Fairy Tail couldn't help but feel jealous of the man's luscious locks. He had the most intense azure eyes Makarov had ever seen, their warmth and friendliness tempered by a sense of weariness. He was dressed in a dark long-sleeved t-shirt and pants, a cloth mask that covered his face from neck to eyes, and sandals that exposed his toes and heels. A short-sleeved scarlet coat, emblazoned with black fire motifs along the bottom edge, gave him a regal aura. Black fingerless gloves covered his hands; the gloves had metal plates sewn in on the back of the hand. A black stripe of cloth was tied loosely around his neck, with another metal plate affixed to it. There was an engraving on the slate, a stylised leaf design with a spiral motif that Makarov didn't recognise as any guild's symbol.

"Who sent you?" Makarov queried curiously. They were not a big guild even with the powerful mages that have made it their home past and present, and Makarov didn't recall making any enemies. The man's eyes crinkled in what the elderly mage assumed was a smile. "Porlyusica-san recommended your guild to me."

"Porlyusica?" Makarov scratched his chin. "If you want to join our guild, there's no need to be sneaky about it you know."

"I know, but I have a proposition for you," the man declared, crossing his arms as he leaned back into the chair. "You can speak with Porlyusica-san to corroborate my words. I am from another dimension that is not parallel to this one. I have a past I'd rather not reveal too much of, and I hope you won't pester Porlyusica-san about the few details I've let leak. But in my world, I'm a ninja. From the descriptions of mages Porlyusica-san gave me, I'm guessing espionage, subterfuge, sabotage and assassinations are not welcome here."

"You can choose not to do those things anymore," Makarov shrugged easily, trotting over to his large bed. He had no reason to distrust the man's words; the fact that he snuck into his room spoke volumes. Hopping on the soft surface of his mattress, he silently assessed the man's strength. While he didn't seem to have any magical powers, Makarov was certain from the way the man was just suppressing his presence to a ridiculous degree. "You are strong. You can easily be S-class. There's no need for you to worry about work or money."

"Thank you for your offer, but I have a better one," the man leaned forwards, placing his elbows on his knees. He gazed deep into Makarov's obsidian eyes, and the Wizard Saint was taken aback by the seriousness that the man exuded. "I can do all that dirty work for you anonymously. You know as well as I do that there is no true peace, and there will always be a need for the dirtier things to be done."

Makarov shook his head despondently. "You are a rather depressing man, to think in such pessimistic terms."

"I was in a war that involved the whole world, and I ended up being the last man standing. I brainstormed for a year to find a way to change things around, while being incessantly hunted by the strongest man alive," the blond said matter-of-factly. "I think I'm entitled to such thought processes."

"Fairy Tail doesn't engage in such seedy matters," Makarov declared staunchly, his lips twisted in a childish pout. "If you want to join, then do so in the open."

The intruder sighed in exasperation, running a hand though his gloriously thick hair. Makarov grumbled under his breath at the unfairness of the world as the man took a minute to formulate his words. "I can join the guild in a guise, while doing your spying in another form. I'll like to think I am fairly proficient at infiltration and impersonation."

"Why do you have to hide your true form in Fairy Tail?" Makarov grunted, crossing his arms stoutly. "Once you join Fairy Tail, this is your home. It's a place to let your hair down."

The man's eyes widened at the mention of home, watering slightly. Makarov hid a small smile at the man's obvious desire for acceptance. _To be the 'last man standing' and hunted for a year must have taken a toll on him. He looks like he barely got out of his diapers too._ "So? Do you accept my terms? I will only need you to do a bit of…recon here and there for me. Porlyusica might have left this out, but we really are at peace. There's fairly little conflict that cannot be solved with diplomacy around here. Don't let the war in your world consume you. This is your new home now."

"You really know how to talk, old man," the cerulean-eyed man teased, standing up. "I see why Porlyusica-san loves you. You have a good heart, old man."

"Bah, like that old bat will have feelings for me," Makarov snorted, waving his hand dismissively. "Now shoo, boy, this old man needs his rest."

"See you tomorrow then," the man bowed grandiosely, before he vanished from view instantly.


	3. Chapter 2: Cana

**Author's Notes:** Thank you everyone, for all your kind support! I really didn't expect my humble story to receive nineteen reviews and more than seventy follows/favourites from just two chapters! I was very much blown away. You guys have definitely given me more drive and motivation to continue writing my story, and I hope you will enjoy it for as long as I can keep this up! Now, to answer some reviews!

_For all readers concerned with the [NarutoHarem?] tag:_ Fear not, for it's not going to be a harem. The question mark just means that Naruto will have more than one girl attracted to him. He'll stay loyal to Mirajane.

_XenotheWise135:_ Thank you for your kind review! I also enjoyed your Konoha-in-Earthland story! But I'm afraid I'm going to have to disappoint you with regards to Gray!Naruto. I considered doing that, but my muse ran wild and I ended up portraying a pretty Light!Naruto (on the surface at least). I pre-wrote twelve chapters before posting the story, so it's going to be hard to form Gray!Naruto. But fear not, I have a plan to rescue my Naruto from being too similar to his old self. It's already in my head, and I just need to reach the relevant point in my story. Hope you'll still be reading by then!

_Garoil:_ You noticed the year? That's great. Yes, Naruto is 16 in X774, and by the time canon rolls around, he'll be 26. If you want a reference point, his birthdate will be Oct 10, X758. There's a 7 year age gap between him and Mirajane, but I think that's not an insurmountable difference for romance. As for explanations, I'll gladly answer any of your questions unless they are scheduled to appear in the story. If so, you'll just have to wait :)_  
_

_Vulc10900:_ What timeline unknowns might you be referring to? Are they answered above?

_Markus-Antonius:_ Something like that. There's a deeper issue governing Naruto's actions, but that won't turn up for a while yet.

Once again, thank you for all the warm support!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto or Fairy Tail_._

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**Chapter 2: Cana (X774)**

Cana Alberona, aged eight, swung her legs listlessly as she sat on a wooden bar stool in the large guild hall of Fairy Tail. Her eyes were downcast as she noticed all the guild members milling about in the hall, chatting happily. She was the only one of her age group, and that precluded her from plenty of conversations. Oh, it wasn't that the people of Fairy Tail were unfriendly, far from it. However, it was difficult for an eight-year-old to make friends with people a few years older than her. Even Laxus, who was just five years older, treated her like a bothersome little kid instead of a fellow guild member. As an eight-year-old, she wasn't exactly the strongest mage around either; she couldn't take a lot of missions, and that made it harder for Cana to fit in.

Oh, how she longed to grow up faster. That way, she could grow stronger, and maybe gain the courage to tell her father whom she really was. She knew he was a mage of Fairy Tail, but it didn't seem obvious that he was a very strong mage at that time. Now, she just didn't know how to approach him without making an embarrassment of herself. Then, there was also Macao Conbolt…she blushed lightly, unwilling to continue with that train of thought. She was too young to think of love and marriage!

"What are you thinking of?" a large hand patted her head gently. She turned her head as she perked up, staring at the man who sat down beside her. "Hi. My name's Ráfaga Remolino. What's yours?"

"C-Cana Alberona, Remolino-san," Cana stuttered, her cheeks darkening as she regarded the red-coated man with awe. Her eyes then shifted to the small fox that was snuggled into the man's arms. The little canine was sleeping soundly, soft breaths rustling the cloth on the mage's arm. The man chortled softly, his eyes closing into happy crescents as he handed the fox over to the little girl, who squealed happily as she cuddled the furry animal. "This is Kurama. And you can call me Ráfaga. So, Cana-chan, what bothers a pretty girl so?"

Blushing even deeper at the praise, she turned away, hoping the man wouldn't see her embarrassment. Macao was instantly erased from her mind at that moment; not that he would know anything of that. The older man might have been handsome and dashing, but nothing beat a mysterious masked man with eye-catching golden hair and deep cobalt orbs. "Erm…I don't have a lot of friends, Ráfaga-san."

"Hmm, that _is_ a problem," the man stroked his clothed chin thoughtfully. "How about I become your friend, Cana-chan?"

The girl's eyes widened considerably, as hope filled her eyes. She blushed once more as she shyly grabbed his large hand with hers, twisting her pinky finger around his. She nearly dropped the fox, but he woke up just in time to land safely in her lap. "P-Pinky promise! We'll be friends forever, Ráfaga-niichan!"

"Alright!" the blond man did his eye-smile once again, ruffling Cana's black tresses. "I'm new around town, so I'm going to need a tour. Can you help me, Cana-chan?"

The girl grinned happily, before dragging the man out of the lunch hall. The fox trotted behind them, content with following at a more sedate pace. Gazing down from the second floor, Makarov smiled fondly as he watched the two leave the guild doors to explore Magnolia Town. _Let's see if little Cana-chan can't turn you into the mushiest older brother yet._

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Being a member of Fairy Tail for two years already, Cana was well versed in the layout of Magnolia Town. She took him on a haphazard route around the place, pointing out the various hotspots to see in the friendly town. Cana waved happily at various townsfolk as they travelled through the cobblestone streets, visiting the Cardia Cathedral and the South Gate Park amongst other shops and sights. Naruto sighed forlornly as he recalled the short moment in time where Konoha citizens acknowledged his worth as a fellow villager and a protector, all of them cheering for him despite the destruction of all of Konoha's infrastructure. His eyes misted up as nostalgia washed over him.

A sharp tug on his arm brought him out of his musings abruptly. Cana looked rather worried, her warm brown eyes widening at the sight of tears gathering at the edge of Naruto's eyes. "Ráfaga-niichan, am I making you sad? Tell me! I promise we'll go do something fun and make you happy!"

Blinking away the tears, Naruto squatted down to Cana's eye level. His eyes were curved into happy arcs as he flicked the girl on her forehead. She pouted childishly as she rubbed her forehead, but Naruto recognized the glint in her eyes. He had seen it in the mirror many times before; the fear of rejection, the terror of loneliness…and the glimmer of hope that flickered so weakly. His heart melted at the sight, as he planted a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Don't worry about me, Cana-chan. I'm just thinking about all my friends. Magnolia Town is a happy place, and it just reminded me of my old home."

The blushing girl didn't seem convinced by his explanation, but nodded emphatically as she dragged him along once more. "Let's go to the cake shop! Since you're new, Ráfaga-niichan, I'll treat you! But you'll have to go on missions and make lots of money to treat me back next time, okay?"

For the first time in more than a year, Naruto laughed in joy at the pure innocence of the young girl. He found the warm feeling that engulfed his chest to be a very comfortable one. Even the most somber of thoughts could not dislodge the invisible hand that clutched his heart so warmly. _To think, my determination to stay anonymous crumbling in the face of a cute little girl's smile…how can I muster the will to return home, when I feel more comfortable here than anywhere since _Konoha_ was still standing? Makarov, I hope you won't regret letting a killer like me around your impressionable children. I don't think I can bring myself to leave now._

Cana giggled joyously as Naruto snagged her around the waist, placing her on his shoulders. Securing her by holding on to her legs gently, Naruto asked about her experiences at Fairy Tail. The girl was eager to oblige the masked man, chattering away about the guild. It was relaxing to hear the funny stories of various guild members and their antics, and the day blurred away. Before he knew it, he was walking them back towards the guild with cake crumbs in his hair and his head swimming with everything Cana could remember. He had forgotten when he last had such an enjoyable time. _With everything that has happened in my life…I think it was that last meal with Ero-Sennin before we returned to _Konoha_ that felt the most heartwarming_.

Brushing aside the recollections for the umpteenth time that day, Naruto placed his attention on the road ahead. The duo had fallen into a companionable silence. Suddenly, he paused in his tracks. Frowning, he looked at the ground with intrigue.

"Why did you stop, Ráfaga-niichan?" Cana questioned inquisitively.

"The ground is shifting," Naruto replied cautiously.

His head tilted up as he pinned his gaze on a flying loudspeaker with wings. Bells starting chiming while the loudspeaker hollered that Gildarts had returned. People scrambled towards the main road, no doubt to see the famous mage return to Fairy Tail. The ground trembled as houses and streets shifted, reorganized to expose a straight road from the city entrance to the Fairy Tail headquarters. Instead of being excited, however, Cana remained suspiciously silent. Reading her mood, Naruto held his tongue as townsfolk rushed past them to catch a glimpse of Gildarts. Once the majority had gone by, Naruto tapped the young girl on her leg.

"Who's Gildarts to you?" the blond man asked softly.

Cana sniffled as she played with Naruto's spiky locks absentmindedly. "He's…he's my dad. But he doesn't know…"

"You joined Fairy Tail to find him, didn't you?" Naruto inferred. "But you didn't dare tell him because he's a famous mage, and you got scared, right?"

"Mmhmm," Cana nodded, unwilling to trust her voice not to sound choked.

"Hey, don't worry. Ráfaga-niichan will help you learn magic, so when you become stronger, you can tell him that he has a beautiful daughter named Cana Alberona," Naruto offered. Cana rubbed her runny nose, a small grin on her face that Naruto couldn't see. "Promise?"

The blond man raised his fist to head level, sticking out his pinky finger. Cana giggled as she hooked her pinky finger to the azure-eyed ninja's once again. "Promise. Now c'mon, let's go back to the guild. I want to see Gildarts too, like everyone else."

"Okay!"

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Gildarts was a favourite of every guild member, and it wasn't hard to see why. Although he was often out of town, that was only the case because he accepted and completed missions with great fervour, bringing fame and good reputation back to Fairy Tail and Magnolia Town. He was friendly and generous, and a good sport for most activities. Judging by Cana's awestruck gaze at Gildarts' excellent alcohol tolerance (having beaten three men at drinking games without pause, and taking on a fourth), Naruto reckoned she would become a raging alcoholic in a few years' time.

_And she would probably be able to handle herself too,_ Naruto mused in mild horror, as Gildarts downed another tall mug of beer with a loud cheer. Watching the celebrations through the windows from the outside, Naruto could only manage a maudlin smile at the happiness that seemed overabundant in the guild. Kurama snorted as he nuzzled Naruto's leg, noticing the man's gloom. He hadn't learnt quite enough words to express his concern in speech yet, but Naruto noticed and appreciated the fox's actions all the same. Bending down to scoop the canine into his arms, the fox flicked his nose with a paw, before deigning to be carried. Naruto grinned weakly at his companion, mumbling a quiet word of gratitude.

"You know, kiddo, you'll disappoint Cana if you don't join in and try to beat Gildarts at drinking," a playful voice called out from beneath him. Without looking downwards, Naruto addressed the shorter man. "I don't think I can survive with that much alcohol in my bloodstream. Or at least, I've never tried. And what about you, old man? Why aren't you in there celebrating too?"

"I came out here to give you your guild emblem," Makarov responded, his voice conveying mock annoyance. "Where do you want it, and in what colour, you bothersome, needy brat?"

Naruto chuckled as he maneuvered the fox onto one arm, while removing the glove for his right hand. Pointing the palm at the elder mage, he smiled gratefully. "In orange. Thanks."

Makarov took the large magical stamp in his hand, and pressed it against Naruto's palm. A soft glow emanated from the point of contact, and when the guild master removed the item from skin, the orange Fairy Tail emblem was magically tattooed on Naruto's palm. The blond man tugged his glove on once more, hiding the logo from plain view. Makarov shook his head at the cerulean-eyed man's obvious symbolism behind wearing his gloves over the emblem, before taking out a piece of paper and waving it under Naruto's nose, literally.

"I don't know if you had these in your world, but this is a cheque," the _Titan Magic_ wielder explained matter-of-factly. "It represents a certain amount of money that corresponds to funds in the bank. You had banks from where you came from, right?"

"I know what cheques are," Naruto took the small slip gingerly, flashing a feeble grin at the guild master. "For an apartment?"

Makarov nodded sagely, and tucked the cheque into an inner pocket in Naruto's coat. How the man knew of the pocket, Naruto didn't really want to find out. "It's only a loan from the guild, for new members to get a place before they start getting any income. That should tide you over for the first three months."

"Thanks, old man," Naruto whispered, as he seemed to melt into the darkness of night. "I'll see you around."

Makarov sighed in chagrin as he strolled back into the lunch hall.

_What a silly brat_.

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Naruto didn't see the need to rent his own apartment, but he supposed it would be nice to have a permanent place in Magnolia Town instead of sleeping in his tent in East Forest. Securing a place to live wasn't too difficult a task; the people were more than willing to rent places out to Fairy Tail members. Instead of an apartment though, Naruto opted to rent a whole house with all the money he was loaned. The two-storey house was situated on the northern side of town, near the Fairy Tail building. The front of the house faced Lake Sciliora for a spectacular view. He didn't need the space, but he had several ideas in mind as to what he wanted to use all the room for.

The house was built with solid bricks, with a coat of orange paint slathered over. Naruto supposed he could afford to indulge in such frivolities; he picked the house precisely because it was orange, though he wouldn't admit that to any one. The second storey was smaller than the first, making space for a balcony that sat above the front of the house, stretching from side to side. Wooden railings and beams secured the open space, and a sliding door led into the house from the veranda. A smaller regular door beside the sliding door also led into the house. Two chairs and a small table sat on the balcony, angled for a perfect view of the lake. The front door was carved from heavy wood, and the windows on both levels were simple rectangular panes of glass, held in place by wooden frames. A chimney stretched above the brown-tiled, sloped roof, with small windows for the attic.

Through the front door was the living room, complete with simple furnishings such as a long couch, coffee table, a bookshelf and a display cabinet. A soft oval rug sat in the middle of the room, the bright yellow carpet making a contrast with the shiny parquet floor. The fireplace was to the side of the couch, a simple brick construction on the wall due east. The walls were painted a cheerful sky blue. Further into the house, on an elevation, was the kitchen cum dining area. The kitchen was well equipped with a cooking stove and various cupboards that held utensils and crockery. Naruto even found a fine china set, and a half-empty box of teabags. A long oval table and six matching chairs stood on the middle of the area, with a decorative bowl of fruits seated in the centre.

A wooden spiraling staircase led to the second floor, situated on the east wall of the house. Climbing up the rickety stairs, Naruto came upon a short corridor stretching from back to front of the house, with the chimney column visibly protruding from the wall. At the end of the corridor was the door that led to the balcony. There were two rooms flanking a central bathroom, each room taking roughly half the space of the second storey. The walls on the second floor were coated in paint of a relaxing grass green. The room at the back end of the house featured windows on each external wall, allowing glorious sunlight to illuminate the room in the day. Within each room was a bed, desk and a floor to ceiling closet, amongst other furnishings. Plain white curtains went with the white dresser in the far corner of the rooms, and the square crimson carpets were nice juxtapositions.

The bathroom was equipped with a shower and stone bath shielded by cheerful shower curtains, which was a luxury Naruto wasn't able to enjoy for what felt like the longest time. There was a medicine cabinet cum mirror above the porcelain sink, and a toilet, with the washroom covered in gleaming white tiles. The room on the front of the house was the one that led to the balcony through the paper sliding door. Marking it as his preferred room, Naruto proceeded to climb to the attic, where it was completely empty far the odd spider-web. The sloping ceiling of the attic made it a tight squeeze for the blond to move about, but he managed. He had gotten into the habit of keeping all his items on his body in case he needed to make a quick getaway, but without the looming threat of Uchiha Madara, his paranoia was forcibly restrained. Dumping much of his weapons and equipment in the attic, Naruto resolved to find some weapons store or blacksmith to do maintenance for his large cache.

His sealed food supplies went into the empty cabinets in the kitchen, and he made a mental note to check the buying price for the house, if the landlord was willing to sell. It was far larger than his former apartment, and despite being light-years away from Konoha, the place felt homely already. His next job was to put up sealing wards in the house. He was sure the landlord wouldn't mind several helpful seals to keep the place secure, and it wasn't going to be difficult for the blond man to remove the wards anyway. Plastering pre-made _fūin_ scripts on various walls of the house, inside and out, he sealed the home and rooms from leaking noise, and a simple barrier that both informed him of others' arrival, as well as deny entry to anyone with bad intent. He had to tie that one to his well-honed sensor ability to sense emotions, derived from the innate power granted by using Kurama's chakra. He was insanely glad for that piece of foresight, in spite of the work that it took.

Forming two _Kage Bunshin_, they wordlessly performed a transformation, turning into two nondescript civilians. He didn't want to draw attention to himself by having clones running about. One of them headed off to look for a weapons store, while the other went in search of a florist. Naruto still retained his desire to cultivate flora, even if he hadn't had a chance to practise his green thumb for nearly three years. Leaving his doppelgangers to complete whatever additions to the house they deemed necessary, Naruto strolled sedately towards Fairy Hills.

The female dormitories were located on a hill that overlooked Lake Sciliora and Magnolia Town. He followed the beaten path up to the large building, passing under the arched sign without pause. Before he could tap on the front door, however, he was confronted with a short, elderly woman. Her gray hair was organized neatly into a bun, and wrinkles adorned her ages face. She wore a striking red cardigan and skirt combination, with a pink blouse underneath. A pink ribbon was secured around a white, frilly collar, and black boots completed the ensemble. Before he could even open his mouth to ask, she let out a hair-raising screech.

"What's a man doing up here in Fairy Hills!" she yelled, raising an angry fist at the far taller man. "Get lost!"

"I'm just looking for Cana-chan," Naruto raised his hands up on the universal gesture for surrender. "Can you tell her Ráfaga is here to see her?"

"How do you know Cana-chan is here?" the woman narrowed her eyes dangerously, before shouting once more. "Pervert! Leave!"

Naruto groaned. "Look, I'm a sensor, and I can sense her presence in the building. Actually, you know what, I'll just wait here. She's coming down now."

Before the shrill voice of the elderly woman could fill the air again, a girl not much bigger than her appeared from behind. Cana was dressed in her usual brown, checkered dress, but she had not tied her hair up in her usual ponytail. The raven locks fell to her shoulder blades, covering her bare shoulders. She wore a cute pout as she placed her fists on her hips in an angry pose. "Ráfaga-niichan! Where were you last night?"

The old woman Naruto guessed was the matron of the dormitories was completely ignored as Naruto scratched the back of his head nervously. "Ah, I was just scouring the town for a place."

"In the night?" Cana cocked her head to the side, bewildered.

"Yea," Naruto cleared his throat uncomfortably. He was horrible at lying in the face to children. They had the uncanny ability to stare him down and make him feel like shit. Women had that same ability to extricate the truth from him too. "Actually, I've rented the house this morning, and I have a spare room. Do you want to-"

Cana squealed as she rushed forward to hug Naruto, jumping at his chest. The blond laughed as he caught the brown-eyed girl by the waist, his eyes softening at her wide smile. "I guess that's a yes. Are you sure? Your matron over there seems rather unhappy."

Cana turned her head backwards, sending a heart-wrenching pout at the woman. Her loud (and disregarded) protests died the moment she was faced with the little girl's most potent weapon. Sighing, she growled for the girl to get her stuff packed, and snarled at Naruto, warning him to stay outside the dormitories. The blond could only chuckle weakly as Cana squirmed out of his grip to run back to her room, trailed by the angrily muttering matron. Before long, the girl had bounded out of the dormitory doors, several bags packed carelessly. Cloth stuck out of the bags at various spots, and the matron looked rather disapproving of the disorganized luggage.

Naruto hesitated for a moment, before he raised his gloved palms. Metallic chains sprung out from his hands, wrapping around the handles for all the baggage. Cana gasped in admiration as the sapphire-eyed man proceeded to carry all the bags in this manner. Thanking the matron, Cana didn't look back as she ran ahead of Naruto, a childish laughter on her lips. The blond mage, however, cast a glance back at the matron, his eyes curved into reassuring eye-smiles. "I'll take good care of her."

"You better," the woman sniffed sternly, unable to hide the wobble in her voice.

Naruto nodded firmly, before he took several big strides to catch up with Cana. The girl was far too thrilled by the prospect of staying with him though, and was prancing down the long flight of steps from Fairy Hills to Magnolia Town already. She tapped her foot impatiently at the bottom of the hill as she waited for the slower Naruto. When he reached the foot of the hill, she was restrained by another chain snaking around her waist. "Don't be so anxious, you don't even know where the house is."

Cana blushed in embarrassment, and meekly followed Naruto as he walked the short journey back to his place. _Or is that our place?_ He pondered idly. A fresh chain sprouted from his spine and dived into his pocket, retrieving a silver key from within. Handing it to the excited raven-haired girl, she snatched it from Naruto and fumbled to insert the key. Once she unlocked the door, she dashed into the house, cheering happily.

"Master Makarov!" Cana exclaimed, stopping in her tracks.

Makarov, dressed in a white shirt emblazoned with the Fairy Tail logo, orange shorts and a blue and black striped jester hat, waved cheerfully in reply. "Yo."

Naruto, holding all of Cana's belongings in his arms dexterously, mumbled a greeting at the diminutive man, who had seated himself in the comfortable cream-coloured couch. Cana then promptly ignored the presence of Makarov as she went to explore the rest of the house, scrambling up the stairwell and disappearing upstairs. Makarov shook his head, a chiding tone in his voice. "Really, I loaned you a sum for renting an apartment for three months, and you get a house like this? To think I pegged you for a thriftier type."

"I am thrifty. But what's a little indulgence here and there? I don't think I have to fear about money here," Naruto retorted coolly. "I have never enjoyed luxury before, so I thought, why not now?"

"And the reason for letting Cana stay here?" Makarov queried, pointing at all the luggage Naruto carried back from Fairy Hills.

Naruto shrugged, a soft smile on his face. "I think she's lonely there."

"Your choice," Makarov chirped in a singsong voice, a twinkle in his eye. _There's hope for him yet._ Then, a questioning frown crossed his features. "How did you get this place for two hundred and fifty thousand jewels anyway? It's a bit cheap for such a big place with that kind of view."

"I offered my help as a handyman to the landlord. He was very happy he didn't have to spend exorbitant amounts of money hiring the members of the workers' guild to help with basic repair and maintenance work for all his properties anymore," the blond man explained, before he winked at his leader mischievously. "I also promised I would consider dating his beautiful yet frustratingly lesbian daughter, but don't let anyone know about that one."

Makarov had a silly grin perched on his face when Cana returned from her short exploration around the house.

When he giggled in a high-pitched tone, she decided adults were weird.

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Night had fallen quickly. Having unpacked all her belongings (and under Naruto's loose supervision, in a neat fashion), Cana was insistent on Naruto getting a big meal to commemorate his joining of Fairy Tail. Makarov, who was enjoying an iced tea on the veranda (Naruto wasn't sure where the tea came from…or the glass for that matter), offered to treat the new member. One thing led to another, and Naruto found himself sitting at the bar after dinner with the rest of the guild, where he found new drinking buddies in Macao Conbolt and Wakaba Mine. Cana was playing with Kurama, and showing off the cute fox to the rest of the ladies in the guild. Naruto chuckled at the blissful look the fox was sporting as he was squashed into many soft, suffocating bosoms.

"You're new around here, aren't you?"

Naruto looked up from his mug to look at the tall, imposing man that was Gildarts Clive. Nodding silently, Naruto went back to sipping his beer, _through_ his mask. Cana had been extremely intrigued by that feat, but Naruto refused to reveal his secret. A hearty laugh and slap to the back caused him to spill most of the alcohol, and he glared venomously at the Fairy Tail Ace. Gildarts grinned roguishly, gulping down his own half-filled mug of beer. He smacked his lips as he slammed the mug on the bar top, cracking the polished surface carelessly. "Say, how about a drinking contest? First to collapse loses?"

Naruto was quickly greeted with several cheers from the crowd, and a particularly loud holler from Cana. Shrugging helplessly, he was handed a huge barrel of beer, as was Gildarts. The older man grinned maniacally as he held his hand on the tap. Naruto scratched the back of his head as he tried to estimate how many times more alcohol was in the barrel than he was used to imbibing. "Do you do this to every newcomer?"

"Haha, only those of age!" Gildarts grinned effusively. "To Fairy Tail!"

Shaking his head in amusement, he followed Gildarts' lead as he grabbed the wooden barrel by the edge of the base, and tipped the opened tap to his lips. The _Crash Magic_ mage was first to finish his drink, a loud exclamation of satisfaction following smashing the barrel on the bar top. Naruto took his time with the beer, but was only half a minute slower than his compatriot. He was also more careful with his barrel, managing not to send splinters flying everywhere as Gildarts had done. The red-haired man chortled loudly as he called for another two barrels of booze.

"You can hold your liquor well, eh?" Gildarts clapped him on the shoulder. "Good man!"

"I think it's a necessity in Fairy Tail," the blond replied dryly, earning another set of laughter from the watching crowd. Reluctant to get shit-faced drunk, he was about to decline the next barrel when he saw Cana's reverential gaze. His formerly iron will once more defeated by the little girl, he grabbed the barrel as it was being handed to him. "Bottoms up?"

The hurrah reverberated through the lunch hall as Naruto tilted the barrel and his head back in tandem. It was this noisy sight that Gray Fullbuster stumbled upon as he entered through the front doors of Fairy Tail. No one paid the child any mind, as they were too busy making bets on whether the newcomer could possibly beat Gildarts at drinking. The black-haired boy yelled for someone's attention, but he was shouting against a whole mob of alcoholics. His frustrations boiling over, he was about to march up to one of them and demand to see the guild master when he was tapped on the shoulder. Whirling around, he had to look down to see the man who stopped him.

"Are you here to join the guild?" the short, balding man asked jovially. Gray crossed his arms in an attempt to look more menacing. Given he was only eight, he failed miserably. "Are you the guild master?"

Makarov grinned as he flashed the boy a thumbs-up. "Makarov Dreyar at your service!"

"Can you reverse _Iced Shell_?" the young mage asked bluntly. Makarov, undaunted by the child's rudeness, shook his head in the negative. "Not without killing the user."

"Oh," the boy mumbled, his hopeful eyes downcast.

Makarov magically extended his arm, patting the young boy on his shoulder. "Hey, don't worry. We'll find a way to reverse _Iced Shell_ together, eh? You must have come a long way to find us. Why don't you join Fairy Tail? We're a big family, and we love helping each other! It's a good place for a kiddo like you!"

"Hi! Nice to meet you!" a breathy voice called out from behind him. Gray twisted around, to face a young girl of his age. She smiled merrily, sticking a hand out. "Welcome to Fairy Tail! I'm Cana!"

Gray grabbed the hand, shaking it vigorously. "I'm Gray!"

Cana looked at the boy with what seemed like pity. "We got to get you some clothes though, you'll freeze like that."

Staring down at his bare torso, Gray squeaked. "Oh no! Where are my clothes?!"

Makarov and Cana laughed uproariously at the boy's silly antics. At the bar, Naruto smiled around the tap of his fourth barrel of beer; not that anyone would know. They were too drunk to notice he was drinking through his cloth mask anyway.

_He'll be the first of many friends, Cana. The first of many._


	4. Chapter 3: Maelstrom

**Author's Notes: **Well, I can't please everyone, but it seems my story is generally well received. That's a relief! I was thinking of taking this slower, so I can always have a buffer of content between my current writing and the posted stuff (which also gives me leeway to plug plot holes here and there), but I guess everyone wants more. I'm cut from the same cloth as you guys, and I understand your pain. So I'll upload a chapter a day until we hit my last complete chapter, then we'll see how it goes from there.

_aboulhosncc:_ If you're still reading, then firstly, Naruto realised he wasn't home anymore, so he didn't think to hide that factoid. Secondly, I could do constellations and whatnot, but that was the idea that came to me first, and I didn't think it was that unreasonable, if a bit far-fetched. Anyway, his real confirmation of his 'not-home-anymore' status was the _Kuchiyose_. Besides, his target time to travel back to was only decades ago; you can't really observe evolution in that time scale. Thank you for pointing that out, but really, isn't that nitpicking a little? It's a minor point at best.

_seiho kentaro:_ His false name has no real meaning behind it. It's just an alias. If you want to know, Ráfaga means '_gust'_ and Remolino means '_whirlwind'_ in Spanish. As for why I used Spanish, well...I read Bleach. And Hiro Mashima uses various European languages when naming guilds, such as French (_Crime Sorcière_), German (_Eisenwald_) and Spanish (_Oración Seis_). So I thought it would be nice to use Spanish for Naruto's false name.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto or Fairy Tail.

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**Chapter 3: Maelstrom (X775-X776)**

Yajima first came into contact with Maelstrom when he was returning to his abode after a long day listening to the rest of the Magic Council prattling on about a dark guild, Perdere Tria. Led by three A-class mages who regularly terrorized the small town of Kurobana, a short distance from Shirotsume, they were very suddenly taken out by an unknown entity. Kurobana residents, who found the guild members dumped in their main town square, unconscious and securely tied up, alerted the Rune Knights to their defeat. Interrogation of the Perdere Tria members proved fruitless; they only caught a glimpse of the man's hooded navy blue cloak. There were no telltale insignias, no facial features, nothing they could use for identification. He didn't use any specialized magic they could use to ascertain his true identity either; he was just too fast, and took out the admittedly weak dark guild with nothing but fists and feet.

The A-class mages that led the dark guild only knew what the man had called himself; Maelstrom. They were told by the man to relay his self-proclaimed title to the Magic Council. It sent the members into what Yajima could only call a collective apoplexy. A nameless man, with no guild affiliations, had made the Magic Council into a laughing stock. After all, the Kurobana citizens had put up a request to the Council to get rid of the dark guild months ago. It was a huge dent to their pride that some lone ranger settled the issue before the great Magic Council could.

With no concrete way they could think of to track down the elusive man, they were tempted to declare him a vigilante, and sent out requests to various guilds to have him captured. However, the heroic actions of Maelstrom had captivated the Kurobana townsfolk, and his name spread like wildfire. Before the Magic Council could reach any decision regarding the mage, the increasingly exaggerated tales of how Maelstrom saved Kurobana from utter annihilation had reached the far corners of Fiore. The Council's hands were tied; they couldn't possibly demand for his arrest anymore. People would lose their faith in the Council, and that was something they couldn't ever bear to bring upon themselves. Image was everything to them.

Yajima was rather ambivalent over the whole issue. On one hand, he understood the dangers of having a lone vigilante of such strength going unmonitored. He could easily turn nasty, and start attacking legal guilds or worse, innocent civilians. On the other hand, he did the people of Kurobana a great service, and not being tethered to the strict laws of the Magic Council, could do far more good than mages tied to a guild. Hence, he didn't speak a word during the marathon meeting, opting to abstain from the argument between Council members.

After the meeting, he found an innocuous letter sitting on his table. It was not standard practice to leave letters on Councilmen's tables, unsecured. Trusted couriers usually delivered them personally to the hand of the Councilman. Curious, he read the letter, admiring the audacity and skill of the perpetrator. It was a note from Maelstrom; he claimed he was from Fairy Tail, but wished to be anonymous. He didn't want the rest of the Council to know of his involvement with Fairy Tail, in fear of destroying the guild's reputation. In order to secure Yajima's trust in his words, the elderly Councilman was encouraged to seek out Makarov, who was already informed of Yajima's possible questioning.

A quick missive to Makarov was responded by his old teammate, stating very simply that Maelstrom was to be trusted as a Fairy Tail guild member. Yajima was convinced; he trusted Makarov with his life, and whatever Makarov trusted was definitely trustworthy. Maelstrom had asked for his help to sell his services to the Council, as an independent mage. Yajima relayed that message to the rest of the Council, and they were both pleased with the mage's commitment to them, and dismayed by his anonymity. Given they were in a position to benefit from Maelstrom's actions (by associating the good deeds with the Council and denouncing the bad deeds as the rogue actions of an independent mage), they accepted the deal offered by Maelstrom.

Yajima became the official liaison between Maelstrom and the Magic Council. He initially didn't know how to communicate with Maelstrom about the Council's acceptance of his terms. Figuring the man was probably watching him, Yajima left a letter on his desk as Maelstrom did before. He retired for the night; in the morning, a confirmation note replaced that letter. That became the main mode of communication between the lone mage and the Magic Council. Yajima did ask Maelstrom why he didn't use Fairy Tail as a channel for their messages; Maelstrom apparently didn't want the possibility of someone else in Fairy Tail accidentally opening those letters. Yajima chalked that up to paranoia, and promptly left it alone.

In a measly year, Maelstrom had, on unrecorded missions of the Magic Council, taken down six dark guilds of varying sizes and strength. The takedowns were quiet and efficient; usually, within a week or so of requesting Maelstrom to investigate a certain dark guild, the members of said guild would be secured and dumped at the front door of the prisons, ready for instant incarceration. The Councilmen weren't too sure if Maelstrom was showboating or just trying to make the Rune Knights' lives easier, but they accepted that his methods were his, and allowed him to continue with his stellar work. While the common folk were not made cognizant of Maelstrom's involvement in taking down dark guilds (the Council sold it as the heroic actions of the Rune Knights), it was unavoidable for people to see the now famous navy cloak and associate it with the sudden disappearance of a dark guild in the area days later.

Citizens weren't as stupid as to notice the lack of the Rune Knights' presence in the vicinity of the dark guilds that were taken down either. It did diminish the Council's reputation minutely, but given their official stance was all that mattered to them and their concept of a good image, the Council allowed the whispers and murmurings to continue. The rumours had grown to the extent that people were touting Maelstrom for recognition as one of the Ten Wizard Saints. The Council had already dismissed two petitions from towns that received help from Maelstrom. However, given his excellent record and his increasingly important role doing the work of the Magic Council as an independent contractor, some of the less stubborn Councilmen had taken to that idea.

Yajima often wondered why Maelstrom refused to reveal his ties to Fairy Tail. There really was no reason for such an action; even though the Magic Council ordered legal guilds not to fight dark guilds in any capacity, the missions from the Council were secret, and the Rune Knights took the official credit for the work anyway. Maelstrom had established enough good will with the Council to safely unveil his loyalties without repercussions to Fairy Tail. In various discussions with Makarov, he was reassured many times that the man had his reasons for doing so. Makarov told him that Maelstrom loathed reputation, and was more comfortable with hiding his skills. The guild master had encouraged the man to expose his true abilities before, but the man refused, even though doing so would enhance Fairy Tail's repute greatly.

The Magic Council member then understood Maelstrom's staunch desire to prevent his identity from being leaked, when a copycat mage was brutally murdered by a dark guild. There had been plenty of mages who took the guise of Maelstrom by donning his now distinctive navy cloak, and used the man's reputation to intimidate others or gain benefits from unknowing civilians. The impersonators were usually dealt with by Maelstrom himself, stringing them up somewhere, unharmed, and informing them that they ought to stop taking advantage of his name. But one of them got too cocky; thinking the stature of Maelstrom was enough to deter a dark guild member, he taunted one. He was swiftly made an example of, and various dark guilds were getting involved in hunting down the elusive mage.

Maelstrom was scared for his loved ones, and afraid of Fairy Tail getting targeted by his adversaries. Yajima was infinitely glad for Maelstrom's choice then; he was a former member of Fairy Tail, and he still harboured great love for the guild. Famous mages like Gildarts never had to worry for their guilds, because they never made themselves enemies of dark guilds. With the Magic Council's strict laws regarding inter-guild wars, legal guilds were usually not in conflict with dark guilds unless provoked first. If a man like Maelstrom, known for taking down entire dark guilds alone, was associated with Fairy Tail, then it was very possible for Fairy Tail members to be attacked in order to gain petty revenge, or lure Maelstrom out to kill him.

The copycat mage incident was morbid, but it served to scare any other mages from wearing that navy cloak again. When the dark guild responsible for the brutal murder was disbanded a month later, Maelstrom had each one of their defeated members dumped unceremoniously on the doorstep of practically every other dark guild. It sent a very harsh message that the dark guilds heeded hastily. Maelstrom knew where all of them were, and was capable of reaching them without detection. Innocent people were to be left out of the dark guilds' vendetta against him. The unspoken threat hung over the dark guilds for a good two months before any of them dared pick up unsanctioned missions once more.

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Naruto perused the note he had swiped from Yajima's table minutes ago, licking a popsicle while sitting upside down on the ceiling of a corridor. That corridor was deep inside the Rune Knights' headquarters, with plenty of the Council taskforce members passing by underneath him, unaware of his presence. Even the loud sucking noises he made went unnoticed. Naruto snorted as he thought of the various shouting matches Rune Knight commander meetings had degenerated into, all over his work. They had their pride seriously dented when the Council preferred his services over theirs, painted a picture of the Rune Knights accomplishing those deeds when they haven't, and Naruto actually doing their work _better_ than they ever did.

_If they weren't incompetent enough not to notice me even when I'm barely hiding myself, they might have some skills to justify the existence of their bruised pride,_ Naruto shook his head, enjoying his little treat as he memorized the mission details on the paper. He had little respect for those who expected their pointless titles to mean something; who let their egos blind them to their failings. _I was like that once; boy, did that war change things around. I can't believe just how immature I was before._

Apparently, there was a small dark guild named Infernum operating in the vicinity of Matsubara, a village located at the base of Mt. Himawari, an active volcano. Naruto wasn't too sure why people would find the risks of an eruption worth the extremely fertile volcanic soil they had access to, but he was no agriculturalist; he was in no position to judge. They were apparently kidnapping townsfolk for whatever nefarious purposes they had, and the small town had requested for help to deal with the dark guild.

The guild had been there for years apparently, extorting protection money from the people. They were too afraid to fight back, and when threatened with death if they tried to get help, the travesties went unnoticed. The guild was conscientious though; the scant few visitors the village had never found out about their operations, though how they managed that feat was a big unknown. Any sale of agricultural products was done in larger towns further into Fiore, and the guild was the one to handle the goods. They extracted their own commissions from 'helping' sell the farmers' goods, which ensured no one from the town could reach for assistance while outside of the town and consequently, their absolute control.

Only when the kidnappings had started to occur on a semi-regular basis did someone gather the courage to sneak out of Matsubara and contact local law enforcement in the next town about the dire situation. The request moved up the chain of authority quickly, and reached the Magic Council before long. Unable to stomach the thought of appearing uncaring to the populace, the Council immediately ordered a mission to eliminate Infernum. It was a whole load of pointless posturing in Naruto's mind; only the thought of his actions doing some good for the helpless convinced him to continue his tireless and thankless work for the Council and their myriad publicity stunts.

Yajima helpfully informed him that the Council was planning to send a contingent of Rune Knights to the area in three days' time, just in case Naruto didn't make it back. The blond man guessed it was a good, if transparent plan to eliminate him if they deemed such actions necessary. They could easily set off the volcano to cover up any misdeeds, call the loss of innocent lives a major tragedy, before going right back to their usual scheming. There was nothing truly important there anyway. He could already imagine the fierce debates between the Council members right then, arguing for either his survival and continued service, or the death of an independent mage they only had the illusion of control over. None of them really appreciated his skulking skills when Yajima cheerfully informed them of his form of correspondence with Maelstrom.

Burning said correspondence with a minor application of fire chakra, and scattering the ashes to avoid it raining down conspicuously on the platoon of Rune Knights marching past, Naruto finished off the last bit of his popsicle. He had work to do.

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Naruto, covered in the signature navy blue cloak of Maelstrom, sighed inaudibly as he garnered plenty of curious and admiring looks from people as he walked into the closest town before Matsubara. He had learnt not to be too keen on being famous, given how that would have been counterproductive to hiding from Madara. It had felt good once before, when he was still seeking acknowledgement from his fellow villagers. But that time had passed, and Naruto almost wished he had retained that same caution when he reached Earthland. He had accepted helping people of Fiore as a lifelong mission to atone for his abandonment of the Elemental Countries, but he didn't expect the people to regard him with even greater reverence than Konoha citizens did after he fought Pain.

He had enough admirers now that some towns he helped had shop names coined after his moniker. Fearing his identity leaking should someone attempt to swipe his hood off his head to see what he really looked like, he designed a _Henge_ seal into his Maelstrom cloak. Embedding a preexisting transformation parameter made it such that he didn't need to concentrate to maintain the illusion; he only needed to allow the _fūin_ to absorb the chakra he subconsciously exuded. He didn't put it on his regular clothes because…well, he had fewer coats than, say, shirts, and was too lazy to place the arrays on so many articles of clothing. He also felt that there was a dramatic undertone when changing cloaks to swap identities.

Hence, even if he felt like a slab of juicy, fat meat in the middle of a pack of starving wolves, he felt rather safe from being discovered. Gaining directions discreetly was impossible though, and once one person knew of his next destination, that instantly became the hottest topic on the rumour mill. Wondering when he suddenly became a Sasuke-lite, he thanked the proprietor of the shop he had entered quietly, before leaving the place as stealthily as he could. He would later find out that the man had recorded the conversation, and proceeded to sell it to various magazines and even a few ardent fans. It was quite the shock to see his hood appear on Sorcerer Magazine, and a complete personality profile derived from him asking for directions.

The directions were crude, but Naruto had enough to ascertain his route to the small town. The road was fairly worn, a winding path through the dense forests that grew so vigorously due to the rich soil. The journey would usually take people more than a day from the town he just left, but Naruto made it in four hours. It was already twilight by the time he reached Matsubara, which suited him just fine. Matsubara spanned the narrow entrance into a shallow basin that was flanked by a lake and Mt. Himawari. The lake was likely the source of water for irrigating the extremely fertile soil of the basin. Given it was a predominantly agricultural peasant village, Naruto was greeted with tame wooden fences and thatched cottages. Naruto stopped before the suspiciously empty field of grass between the forest and the village, and climbed a tree.

On first glance, Matsubara seemed peaceful and idyllic enough. Careful surveillance and observation told a different story. _So that's how they avoided detection,_ Naruto nodded in approval, internally praising his foes. The mages were dressed in the same clothes as the farmers, pretending to be them. They spent their time meandering around town, but a short stakeout from a good vantage point showed Naruto there was some order to the movement of the 'villagers'. There were a few shifts of patrolling guards, who ensured that no one could leave without notice easily. There was a gap between each set of guard patrols that would have allowed someone to sneak past, but the open field made it well nigh impossible for any non-mage. The lake was likely guarded by some magic; it appeared innocuously serene. With no other way to leave Matsubara besides go over the mountain, Naruto presumed the guards got lazy when the villager made it out of there.

But with a small community like that one, it would be easy to spot missing people. It would also be easy to identify strangers. Naruto knew quite well how easily a nondescript look could completely make a person unnoticeable, but he didn't want to take that particular risk. Any fighting done in the village would probably tear all of it down. He had to find the guild master and take him out first, hopefully as quietly as he could. If the base of operations was not in the village, then all the better. He highly doubted the guild master, the wanted criminal Saturnos, would willingly live in squalor in order to maintain the village's image of peace. He also dabbled in other illegal jobs too, and they would need a place for people to approach without anyone finding out about Matsubara. The farming town was likely no more than bonus profit for Infernum.

He wished he still had current information on all the dark guilds he gathered aggressively before he began his stint as Maelstrom. Due to his growing reputation and the copycat incident, plenty of dark guilds like Infernum went even further underground, and plenty more shifted their headquarters to evade him. His intel was rendered essentially useless, and while he was slowly collecting the data again, it was a slow process. He was beset with other responsibilities, such as Council missions and Fairy Tail obligations, and that restricted his free time greatly. Staying with Cana also had the side effect of having to dodge a clingy girl every time he needed to do something sensitive. He was on the verge of just ignoring the intelligence work, and just be a brainless 'point-at-enemy-and-fire' weapon for the Council.

With a formative plan in his mind, he hopped off the perch, and landed on the forest ground softly. Focusing his chakra, Kurama appeared in a puff of smoke. The fox looked annoyed at being summoned. Naruto just shrugged. "I need your help."

"You can't do your own _Transformation_?" Kurama sniffed haughtily, unhappy at being treated as a common animal. "Why do you need me?"

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Sorry for respecting your abilities as a magical fox, Kurama."

Kurama merely grinned, before he settled on his haunches to listen to Naruto's instructions. The crimson fox often pretended to be an adorable pet in the presence of everyone else in Fairy Tail. To compensate, the fox pretended to be all high and mighty when alone with Naruto. It was a phase the blond man hoped his companion would leave soon. He knew it was all playful banter, but he had dealt with enough snootiness when he was teammates with Sasuke; he really didn't want to endure that kind of behaviour from Kurama any longer.

Beyond his idiosyncrasies, the fox had been a great help on plenty of missions for Naruto, both open and classified. He had attached a permanent _Hiraishin_ seal on the canine, and given the two-way connectivity of his father's signature technique, he could easily summon Kurama like the Toads he once relied upon. Teaching the fox _Transformation_ to turn its fur midnight black also helped muddy the potential connections people might draw between Maelstrom and Ráfaga. No one could possibly mistake a black, horse-sized fox for a small crimson one. It helped that Kurama was savvy enough to never speak and use _Transformation_ or _Titan Magic_ in front of Fairy Tail members, or even on legal missions. And he always made sure to transform into his alter ego when on classified ops. Which he did right then, even before Naruto asked.

Naruto delivered his orders, and the fox bounded across the flat field, a mere shadow in the darkness. As he settled on a sturdy tree branch in view of the village and threw the _Tōton Jutsu_ over himself, Naruto resolved to treat Kurama to a big meal when they were done. He had a feeling it would take a while before the guards would return to headquarters.

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"You owe me a big meal after this," Kurama warned, as he prodded Naruto to wakefulness.

Naruto yawned as he stretched out the kinks in his torso after sleeping in a tree for the night. "Yea, I got it. Lead the way."

The fox displayed incredible dexterity as he hopped from branch to branch, before safely jumping to the ground. Naruto didn't bother; he just leapt straight down, cushioning the impact to his knees with a liberal amount of chakra. Kurama rolled his eyes at the showy action, but didn't stick a snarky comment in as he began a quick trot through the forest. Naruto followed the fox quietly, his companion still cloaked by _Transformation_. The trees were getting progressively bare as they continued the journey, and by the time Kurama had slowed to a walk, there were only dead trunks left.

It was a short, cautious walk before they arrived at the headquarters of Infernum. It was built into the side of the volcano, no doubt dug out by some _Earth Magic_ expert and protected by powerful enchantments. Naruto could only tell there was an anomaly there with his magnified senses, but couldn't see through the layers of magic that shielded the entrance from view. The trees around were chopped down as with those that probably once surrounded Matsubara, and it gave any defender a clear view of any intruders headed to the guild.

"Small guild my ass," Naruto muttered under his breath. "To keep Matsubara under so efficiently, to hide their building so well…they definitely aren't pushovers."

Kurama gestured at the dead trees all around them with his paw. "Not sure what's happening here, but it reeks of death."

"Probably from experiments," Naruto groaned, recalling the kidnapped townsfolk, then the several villains from his world that sickened him to the core. "I hate mad scientist types."

Naruto scratched his cheek as he considered his options. There weren't too many to be honest. He could try to infiltrate the guild headquarters, but he usually scouted a dark guild quite thoroughly before attempting to do so. His infiltrations had three types; he either slipped into the building incognito, pretended to want to join, or if he was going to wreak havoc, replace an existing member. However, all three forms of infiltration would require some preparation of varying levels, which included making sure of success from the get-go. Infiltration gigs got increasingly harder to pull off the more times they failed on a particular target.

Given Naruto was here to destroy, he didn't see a great need to get in. He probably had enough power to blow their front doors down. Except, he shunned that sort of method ever since the war; attacking head-on usually meant getting hit by some unknown trump card move that could wreck anyone's day. He had no idea the numbers of Infernum, the relative strength of their current members, and if they had any specialties. It was frustrating for his heart and mind to do battle over how to blow up a dark guild, and every minute he spent debating his methods was every minute more time for Infernum to spot him and go into high alert.

Kurama solved that issue for him when the fox exploded in size, snarling viciously at the hidden entrance of the Infernum guild headquarters. Having an obsidian fox the size of a two-storey house was enough to scare anyone into looser bowels, and that seemed to be the case as Kurama smashed his body against the fake (possibly illusory) rock formation that hid the doors without encountering any resistance from within the base. Shaking his head in exasperation, Naruto nevertheless joined in, his eyes shifting as he entered _Sennin Mōdo_. Raising his hand into the air, it took a mere three seconds for _Fūton: Rasenshuriken_ to form, and another for Naruto to shout a warning to Kurama before he hurled the powerful technique at the general location of the entrance.

Allowing it to expand the moment it disappeared into the rock without a trace, the illusion flickered and disappeared, while the double doors were wrecked. Once imposing, ornate doors that stretched three-stories high had a boulder-sized hole torn in the middle. With the gates on teetering on the edge of collapse, Kurama rammed the doors once more. The weakened structural integrity of the doors meant it was no match for a giant animal crashing into it. Kurama stumbled into the cave, proclaiming his desire for blood in a bloodcurdling roar.

Naruto chuckled as he stepped through the blown doors sedately, blowing away all and any forms of attacks with a rotating dome of harsh gales. The spinning dome of wind chakra was inspired by the _Hakkeshō Kaiten_, and Naruto was sure Neji would be proud of his creation. He didn't even need to twirl on the spot to generate the shield; he just needed hand seals for his _Fūton: Kaiten_, and it would stay active for as long as he had chakra. He knew for certain that if Neji was still around, he would be exasperated by his lack of creativity with regards to the name, but glad to have been part of the clan to provide that idea to Naruto.

As he watched a gout of fire burn its user after getting redirected back by his technique, he scratched his cheek in mild befuddlement.

_Are they really that weak?_

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Once they had taken down all the members of Infernum, leaving them in collapsed heaps scattered around the entrance of the cave, they proceeded to charge down the cavern rashly. Naruto rode on Kurama's back, a hand gripping his neck fur rather firmly. Kurama wasn't a big fan of being a mount, but even the fox had to admit it was cool to make an entrance like that. Dashing towards the raised dais where a single man sat on a throne, sliding to a stop right in front of him and baring gigantic teeth would turn plenty of men boneless. Credit to the Infernum guild master, he didn't flinch as Kurama roared at the top of his lungs in his face, the sound echoing through the cavernous guild headquarters.

"You…you are Maelstrom," Saturnos seethed. "How did you find us?"

Naruto peered down at the man, observing his adversary. The man was brown of hair, with dark eyes that glinted with madness. He was fairly good looking, though the gaudy priest robes that he wore ruined that. The black garment had seen far better days; it was caked with loose dirt and dried blood, with plenty of rips at the bottom hem. A silver scythe was loosely held in his hands, with a long chain attached to the bottom. The chain snaked up his arm, wrapping the appendage securely. In the barely lit cavern that was Infernum's home, it was pretty much impossible to see anything else. The man's teeth gleamed sinisterly as he flashed a wicked grin at the hooded trespasser.

"That was a stupid question. It's the famous Maelstrom we're talking about," Saturnos gestured wildly, his eyes glowing. "You are truly impressive!"

"Surrender the kidnapped villagers, and come quietly," Naruto declared for the sake of appearances. He sorely wanted to bash the guy's face in, if only to wipe the maniacal grin of his face. "Your entire guild has been defeated, and soon, there'll be Rune Knights swarming all over the area."

"I am on the cusp of an extraordinary discovery," the brown-haired man commented in mild irritation, as if the threat of incarceration meant nothing in his soon-to-succeed scheme. The sudden mood change startled Naruto. _Is he bipolar?_ "I have no time for games with you, Maelstrom. Go and disturb some other guild."

Kurama had enough of waiting for action. With a loud howl, the massive black canine charged forwards, intent on smacking the dark guild master with his giant paw. To both his and Naruto's surprise, the man blocked the attack by merely raising his arm to meet the onrushing paw. Undeterred, Kurama reared back, and unleashed a large mouthful of white-hot flames that illuminated the entire cavern with its intensity. Naruto covered his eyes as the blaze peaked in intensity, before it was extinguished with a two walls of earth smothering it. Allowing the walls to crumble to dirt, Saturnos looked unruffled by the attacks. Kurama growled in fury, ready to attack the unperturbed guild master when Naruto patted the fox's head.

"That was helpful," Naruto remarked wryly, to which the obsidian-furred fox snorted. "Let me off."

The black fox grumbled under its breath, but acquiesced as he bent his forelegs, allowing Naruto to dismount. The ninja took a closer look at the scythe in Saturnos' hand, marveling at the workmanship. There were runes etched into the silver blade of the weapon; Naruto surmised he had to stick to a longer range when fighting the guild master. Saturnos was less careful facing his enemy. Despite his assertion that he was more interested in completing whatever work he was doing, the man seemed eager to charge straight into battle. Naruto wished he could meet some normal villains next time, instead of crazy people like the man that stood before him; dressed as a priest, conducting experiments on humans and possibly bipolar.

_He must think he's the saviour of the world,_ Naruto groaned, as Saturnos screamed some prayer, swiping at the hooded man wildly with his scythe. It was a pain to fight the man; the zealous attacks were wild and unpredictable, and given it was a scythe, it made it that much harder to anticipate. Naruto wondered if this was how others viewed him back when he was the most unpredictable ninja of Konoha, even as he relied on his well-honed instincts to dodge an overhead swing. He couldn't take the various openings the man had in his unrefined stance; Saturnos' offence was too quick for him to risk a hand jabbing at soft spots. The madman was giggling as he kept up the attack, keeping Naruto on the back foot and preventing him from doing anything but avoid the scythe Naruto knew had some special properties he'd rather not know of. Kurama sighed on the sidelines, watching the debacle with boredom. He wanted to fight, but it was not worth getting minor cuts all over his face or forelimbs. It would sting a lot.

Naruto wished he had the kind of speed that Rock Lee had, as his movements grew more and more desperate. Saturnos seemed to be gradually speeding up, while he become more and more lead-footed. Only his _Sennin Mōdo_ kept him unharmed, having afforded him better senses and reflexes. A flicker of movement in his peripheral vision caused Naruto to lose focus for a moment, and that earned him a small wound on his forearm as he raised it, reinforced with chakra, to block another overhead slice that would have lopped off an arm. Then, Naruto's eyes widened in realization. He pulsed his chakra in a wave that expanded around him, blowing past Saturnos and Kurama.

The image of Saturnos wavered, before shattering like brittle glass, leaving no evidence of his presence. Kurama shook his giant head woozily. Naruto's eyes gleamed with anticipation and respect as he heard the clanking of what was probably large machinery. _He played us like fiddles. The runes on the scythe were for Illusion Magic. He retreated the moment we were caught in his illusion. The entire fight was faked, and it gave him time to prepare whatever trump card he has. I should have expected such a ploy after seeing the amazing illusory protection the doors had._

"I see you got out of the illusion. That's impressive!" a voice congratulated on loudspeaker. "I've never had someone break it so quickly before. I barely got into my _Kronos_ in time."

Naruto groaned internally as he saw the throne shattered by a massive mechanical hand, a giant monstrosity emerging from the gloom behind the throne. He leapt upon Kurama's back once more, and the fox enlarged his frame further, until Naruto could comfortably stand on his head. The large avatar was in the vague image of a man, with long, gangly limbs and a stout body. Saturnos was sitting in the middle of the torso, enclosed in thick armour. A small window allowed the man to see out of his machine, and Naruto to see the guild master seated within. The entire robot was covered in what appeared to be loose flaps of flesh, though in the darkness Naruto couldn't tell for sure. The grotesque thing also had a giant scythe, mimicking its pilot's weapon of choice.

"DIE!" the man screeched, his machine charging forward as it swung its weapon.

There was barely any space available for two giants to engage in a melee battle, and that suited Naruto just fine. As Kurama scrambled backwards, Naruto created a _Kage Bunshin_. Applying chakra to his feet to hold on, the two Narutos flashed through different hand seals even as the original shouted. "Fire!"

Kurama got the memo, as the giant fox inhaled deeply, gathering magic in his abdomen before exhaling a gigantic wave of white flames. One Naruto unleashed a huge spiraling blast of wind, while another's chest expanded before he spat out a torrent of extremely flammable oil. The triple combination turned the already intense fire into a blazing storm, completely filling the width of the cavern and engulfing Saturnos' machine fully. His _Kage Bunshin_ disappeared, its simple job done. The fire wasn't anywhere near dying out when a man, encased in a molten armour of earth burst out of the fiery depths, screaming bloody murder. Saturnos reached forwards, his hand aiming to rip Naruto's head off as his eyes glowed with stark madness.

Naruto cocked a fist back, and smashed it into the slag that made up Saturnos' armour. He wasn't quick enough, however, to prevent the man's hand from grabbing his hood. Sending the dark guild master careening backwards also resulted in his cloak ripping. As his _Henge_ collapsed, Naruto unleashed another gout of flames from his mouth to prevent Saturnos from seeing his face. The crazed mage fell back into the massive blaze that was still roaring, screaming death threats as he disappeared into the bright flames. The conflagration seemed to be the perfect method of annihilation for the guild that called itself Infernum.

Naruto wished he were a bit more careful about collateral damage though, as he now had a massive grease fire to put out. Combining a fire with oil was extremely effective; the slick liquid stuck to all surfaces, spread easily and the resulting fire couldn't be put out with water. Removing all the oxygen in the atmosphere was usually the best method to extinguish a grease fire. For Naruto, he had a simpler and far more effective method. Retrieving a pre-made scroll, he unfurled the paper to expose a _fūin_ array. He flashed through the prerequisite hand seals. Moments later, a blue vapour extended from the scroll, and floated towards the inferno. It enveloped the blaze, and pulled it into the scroll slowly, the fire seemingly sucked into the flimsy piece of paper. Bit by bit, the fires disappeared, and when all but the oil was gone, the symbol for fire appeared in the empty centre of the array, signifying a successful sealing.

"_Fūka Hōin_, success," Naruto announced, hopping off Kurama's head.

He made sure to insulate his feet with chakra against the boiling hot oil as he trudged over to the smoking body of Saturnos. He was groaning in his unconscious state, the earthen armour sloughing off his blistering skin in trickles of molten rock. He was lucky he wasn't left to stew in the oil any longer; his machine was already slag, a steaming pool of unidentifiable metals. Chains sprouted from Naruto's back and wrapped around the prone guild master, lifting him off the pool of oil. Forming a clone, he sent it deeper into the guild headquarters, just to see what he hadn't destroyed with his reckless use of fire.

"C'mon, Kurama, let's get the hell out of here," Naruto said, the fox grunting his approval.

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It was impossible to save any of the kidnapped villagers. A quick study of Saturnos' notes told Naruto they were doing gene modification experiments. The victims were too damaged by the inhumane trials to be rescued. All of them were malformed terribly, twisted growths and crippling deformations littering their bodies. It was easier for them to be released from that state than to try and live out the rest of a painful, likely short existence. Naruto ended their lives quickly, his eyes misting up at the dirty work he had to do. Then, he planted exploding notes all over the laboratory, spreading them out evenly to ensure its collapse and the subsequent destruction of the data. The world didn't need someone finding the results of the experimentation, and repeating them. Once his job was done, the _Kage Bunshin_ dispelled.

Outside, Naruto had settled Saturnos against a tree. A horde of _Kage Bunshin_, along with the help of Kurama, carried the rest of the Infernum guild members out of their headquarters. They efficiently bound the criminals with ninja wire, and left them leaning against the dead trees of the forest outside the cave. Naruto briefly thought about discovering the cause of the trees dying around them; the gene experiments wouldn't cause trees outside to wither. But he decided destroying the cavern would crush the source of death as well, so he ignored the curiosity and remotely ignited the explosive tags. A dull boom echoed through the guild hideout, and the mountain rumbled as the cave collapsed. Naruto shut his eyes, praying the volcano didn't erupt. When it stayed silent for five minutes, the blond heaved an uneasy sigh of relief.

Kurama snorted as he prodded the unconscious man's head with his nose, making sure the man was still knocked out. The jet-black fox glanced around him, noting the mass of defeated mages lying around. He grinned at the job well done, letting out a garish howl that echoed through the dead forest. Patting the giant fox on its shoulder, Naruto watched as Kurama shrunk in size until he could once more fit comfortably in Cana's lap. Then, the fox's fur shifted colours, lightening into a shiny coat of crimson. Suddenly, the animal stiffened, and took two cautious sniffs of the air.

"There's someone watching us," the fox barked out a warning. Naruto nodded curtly, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration as he called out into the empty forest. He couldn't believe he was blown so easily, by pure coincidence, no less. "I know. You can come out now…Gildarts."

The S-class mage sheepishly stepped out from behind a gnarled tree, an easy smile perched on his face. Even so, Naruto could sense the unease and wariness the older man was exuding. Gildarts waved his hand around, gesturing at the dead forest they were standing in.

"What brings you here, Ráfaga?" Gildarts asked curiously, his armored gauntlets clanking against his steel waist-guard as he lowered his hand. "This isn't a place for mages like you."

Naruto sighed in vexation, glancing at the master of a dark guild he had secured against a tree with sturdy metallic wires, and further bound by the chains that emerged from his spine. He wondered if he could lie to Gildarts convincingly enough. He abandoned that thought moments later. Gildarts was far from stupid, and Naruto wasn't sure he could take Gildarts on if they eventually came to blows. "I could ask you the same question. Are you heading back to Fairy Tail already? You really are Fairy Tail's Ace. A SS-rank mission completed in a year when others take a decade."

"Don't change the subject," Gildarts warned, his tone darkening. The dry earth beneath his feet cracked as the man unleashed a small portion of his full magical power. "This is the stomping ground for Infernum, a dark guild. That man you have wrapped up there is a supposed S-class mage, Infernum's guild master Saturnos. You don't even have a scratch on you. That's impossible for a mage of your supposed strength, to defeat this whole guild on your own."

"I guess it is, even though he's really just barely A-class," Naruto replied noncommittally. "Look, we all have our secrets. Makarov trusts me. Isn't that enough?"

Gildarts released his full magical power. The white aura of his magic roared around his body as the ground shattered, leaving him standing in a large crater. Naruto was unfazed as he stared down the senior mage of Fairy Tail; while his face was masked, Gildarts could see from his calm azure eyes that he was completely unperturbed by Gildarts' show of strength. The fox was similarly unruffled, only growling softly in response. The man reined in his crushing magic soon after, allowing the unconscious mages in the area to breathe properly once again. He wanted to threaten the man he knew as Ráfaga, but not at the cost of someone's life.

"The only men in Fairy Tail who aren't crushed by my full power are Makarov and Ivan," Gildarts remarked, his eyes narrowing in deep suspicion. "Out with it. Who are you and what do you really want? Do you mean any harm to the guild? Are you misleading Cana-chan?"

"Don't worry, I mean no harm to Fairy Tail. It's my new home, and I don't intend to let it down like I did before," Naruto answered gingerly, pursing his lips. "I'm just not used to displaying my strength. It was essential for me to keep everything hidden before, and it's a habit now. It helps to make my opponents underestimate me."

"Does Makarov know of all this?" Gildarts waved his hand around, annoyed at having an unknown, powerful person working in the shadows in the name of Fairy Tail. Naruto shook his head in the negative, raising his open palms up towards Gildarts indicate his good will. "Don't get hasty. He just closes both eyes, and lets me work quietly. This isn't done on his orders, but nobody said not to take out the trash."

"That's why Fairy Tail is getting more and more S-rank missions," Gildarts murmured thoughtfully, stroking his stubble. "While I admire your dedication to establishing peace in Fiore, your methods need a long rethink. Legal guilds don't get involved in dirty jobs."

"I'm not the face of Fairy Tail, you are," Naruto countered indignantly. "And my methods are not dirty. They are just…less appreciated. Even Makarov admits the need for spies."

Gildarts frowned severely, walking towards Naruto. The blond man held his ground as his fellow guild member stood before him, glaring down at the shorter mage. "These missions are _unsanctioned_. And spies? This isn't spying. This is elimination. It's not your decision to take out these dark guilds. You are painting a terrible picture of Fairy Tail to the Council."

"The reason for Fairy Tail's influx of S-rank missions is because of our rising reputation and _you_, not me. No one on the Magic Council knows me. Heck, this mission is _from_ the Council, just that it's classified. They only know me as the independent mage Maelstrom. Yajima-dono is actually the only one on the Council who knows my affiliation to Fairy Tail, and he hasn't leaked that to his fellow Councilmen," Naruto replied dispassionately, nonplussed by Gildarts' accusatory tone. "He just tells them that I'm loyal to him and the Council's cause. I've been working for the Council for more than a year, doing secret missions to stake out and sometimes take out small dark guilds like Infernum. They trust me fully, and don't even bother questioning me about my identity anymore."

"So you're the infamous Maelstrom huh?" Gildarts grunted, remembering how impressed he had been when he had heard of that mage's record and his deeds. There was no room for the appreciation of past achievements when it came to the safety of his guild however. The imposing Fairy Tail Ace's face contorted into a fierce scowl as he squeezed Naruto's shoulder painfully. "I'm watching you, Ráfaga. As much as I enjoy drinking and brawling with you, I won't hesitate to cut you down if you so much as lay a hand on any Fairy Tail member."

"Relax, you'll get more wrinkles if you keep frowning like that," Naruto grunted, slapping Gildarts hand away. The serious conversation was effectively over with those words; Gildarts was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. "Let's go get drunk. I'm sick of this tense atmosphere."

Gildarts eyes brightened as he grabbed Naruto by his shoulders and dragged his fellow Fairy Tail mage towards the nearest town, a wide grin plastered on his face. "Fine! You're treating, you sneaky little bastard!"

"What? You're the S-class mage who just finished an SS-rank mission!" Naruto cried, even as he shifted his feet to keep pace with a chortling Gildarts. "You're the one with the money!"

Kurama looked around at the mages of Infernum, then at the disappearing backs of the Fairy Tail mages. Sighing, he broke into a run to catch up.

_Whatever. The Rune Knights can find their own way here._

The fox paused.

_I hope._

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The beady black eye of a raven watched as dozens of Rune Knights scattered themselves around the dead forest, picking up secured prisoners and preparing them for incarceration. The raven stayed on its perch patiently, eyes flicking over every movement of every knight. When they had left after nearly a full day of work, the raven trained its eyes on the rubble that blocked the collapsed guild headquarters of Infernum.

With a loud caw and a quick flap of its wings, it took off, leaving behind only a single black feather.


	5. Chapter 4: Mystogan

**Author's Notes:** As promised, a chapter a day, until your fanfic addiction goes away! There aren't any reviews I thought I needed to address, but given that it's only been a day, I don't really have a lot of reviews to read. No matter! What's important is that I enjoy writing, and you guys enjoy reading this stuff. Never understood the desire for reviews myself, even if they make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Anyway, enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto or Fairy Tail.

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**Chapter 4: Mystogan (X777)**

Cana always thought her adoptive brother was kind of weird. She loved him, really; he was smart, caring, and really powerful, even though he never advertised his strength. But his obsession with hiding his face was something that always irked Cana in a nonviolent way. She had tried ways and means to force him to reveal his real face, from aiming at his face when sparring to stalking him in the bathroom. He always managed to cover his looks though. Using a towel in the bath, an illusion when eating, and even his blanket drawn up to his nose when he slept. Cana's attempts to sneak into his room and either expose him or destroy his masks always met with failure too; he had an uncanny ability to wake up whenever a devious plan struck Cana, and she was always foiled.

That also proved to Cana that her Ráfa-nii was hiding his skills. She was a strong mage for her age, and in the guild, she was already touted as one of those who had the potential to hit S-class. It also helped that Ráfaga worked with her on her _Card Magic_, developing combinations and techniques that often left Cana demanding him to just show her the move instead of explaining all his technical jargon to her. For him to know so much about her _Card Magic_ despite being a B-class mage left Cana very suspicious. He was a _Hair_ and _Chain Magic_ user that was supposedly terrible at everything else, even the basic _Transformation_. For him to understand _Card Magic_'s intricacies meant he knew a lot more than he let on.

Often, he would be gone for weeks on C- or B-rank missions when they would take mere days. When he returned, he always brought home some new cards for her, appeasing her ire for his long absence (which she likened to Gildarts' tendency to be away). Cana supposed it was a ploy to distract her from his long disappearances, but she was eleven, and she wasn't that naïve anymore. Any questioning was deflected with surprising ease. Cana persisted with invasive queries about his activities before she heard sobbing behind his door one night. It was a heart-wrenching sound, something Cana would never have associated with Ráfaga before. He always seemed so collected, so impervious to emotional breakdown. After that incident, she decided to respect his privacy.

That said, she desperately wanted to know when Gildarts and her Ráfa-nii got so chummy. A year ago, they started to seek each other out for drinking company, and along with Wakaba and Macao, made up the Old Men Gang, as Gray so eloquently called them. Of course, there were other members just as old as them, but they weren't always hanging out together like the four invariably did (when Gildarts or Ráfaga were in town, at any rate). She often wondered if it was the alcohol that brought her blood father and adoptive brother together as friends. Cana was thus inspired; she had been forbidden from alcohol by her Ráfa-nii, but she was planning to try soon enough. She just wondered when she would be reasonably sneaky enough to grab some beer from the guild's bar without his notice.

Beyond all of the mysteries that surrounded her Ráfa-nii, she found herself enjoying her time with Gray. He was a cool guy, and bar her mild amusement at his stripping problem, they got along well. Erza was still as aloof as when she first stepped into the guild, but recently she had begun to open up. Cana supposed it was the constant challenges from Gray, or her disapproval of Cana's newfound desire to try alcohol. Laxus was building his own gang, which meant the three of them usually teamed up on missions. Cana had pestered Naruto about going on missions with him too, but he was steadfast in refusing her requests. Sure, sometimes he took her out on C-rank missions for some pocket change, but beyond those, he was adamant she couldn't come with him.

Even though Ráfaga had refused to allow Cana to pay rent, she managed to push him into accepting some jewels from her for housekeeping. It gave her a sense of satisfaction at having contributed to their household, and it kept Ráfaga from going on more missions using money as an excuse. She didn't see why he was so enthusiastic about saving up money though. She managed to peek into his bankbook once, and was astounded by the amount of money he had stored up. It seemed somewhat impossible given the type of missions he had gone on, but she guess he must have done more than she thought.

He must have spent quite a bit of the money already too, given as Cana had seen his stash of equipment in the attic. She surmised even Erza would have been hard-pressed to say no to the high quality steel that Ráfaga kept in their home. The weapons were all of weird construction though; they were nothing like the type that she had spotted in the shop Erza usually shopped at for her equipment. There were throwing stars, knives, and a vast number of tri-pronged daggers, each with a piece of paper wrapped around the handle. There was also a huge sword larger than even her, and she reckoned it was as long from hilt to tip as Ráfa-nii, who was no slouch in the height department. That one, she didn't think even Erza could use properly.

When Cana asked about the weapons, Ráfaga promised to let her use them if she was willing to learn. And so she learnt the art of _shurikenjutsu_, which she put to good use with a deck of throwing cards Ráfaga presented to her. He gifted her one of the tri-pronged weapons he called a _kunai_, and told her to keep it on her at all times. It wasn't a very special gift given he had hundreds of them, but it was a present from her Ráfa-nii nonetheless. He told her that when she was in danger, she just needed to throw the knife and he would be there. Skeptical, she assumed it was a metaphorical thing older people liked to say, and put the knife in her card bag with the rest of her deck.

All in all, she found the last three years staying with Ráfaga to be some of the best in her short life. She only hoped it could continue.

And that people would stop treating her like a kid. She deserved to know stuff too, damn it!

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Naruto's eyes glazed over a little as his _Kage Bunshin_ in Era informed him of a new mission via _Telepathy_. He was glad to have picked up that particular skill. It saved him a lot of trouble forming and dispelling clones for sending messages to and fro. Once he had taken note of the mission specifics, he excused himself from the lunch table, headed over to the mission request board. Nab was already standing there, the teenager pondering endlessly about which mission to take. Peering at the various papers tacked to the board, Naruto grunted and grabbed one that involved eliminating monsters that were attacking a town in the mountains. Spotting an easy D-rank, he snagged that, and stuffed it into the protesting Nab's hands.

Waving goodbye to Wakaba and Macao, and kissing an embarrassed Cana's forehead, he left the guild headquarters. Kurama was held tightly in Cana's arms, the fox desiring a bit of rest time for that day. Once he was certain no one could spot him, he slipped into an alley. As he focused his senses, the _Hiraishin_ seals on his various _kunai_ called out to him like bright signal flares. Given the _Hiraishin no Jutsu_ was a space-time technique; time and distance had barely any significant impact. Ignoring all the other _Hiraishin_ markers he had planted everywhere (including on Cana, but she wasn't to know of the invisible seal on her back), he concentrated on the one in Era. With no disturbance but a light whoosh, the blond man disappeared, leaving behind nothing in his wake.

Reappearing in the middle of a modest apartment, Naruto greeted his clone casually. The doppelganger nodded, before dispelling, leaving all of his memories with Naruto. The blond man had rented a small apartment in Era as the missions from the Council stacked up, and there was a need for him to be nearby more often. He usually posted a _Kage Bunshin_ there to collect the missions from Yajima's desk; the apartment was for convenience of travel between Magnolia Town and Era, allowing Naruto to avoid the Rune Knights at the gates via _Hiraishin_. He was amused to learn of the additional workload the Rune Knights' commanders forced their men into, still in the belief that Naruto entered Era via the main entrance.

As he whistled at the high reward for the mission (a whooping ten million jewels), he briefly wondered if Cana was aware of his secret activities. Over the past three years, he had been slowly unveiling more and more of his clandestine life by leaving small clues here and there. He could easily just create a _Kage Bunshin_ to replace him whenever he was out on a Council mission or another infiltration gig, but he chose not to. He could tell Cana was suspicious, but she never wavered in her trust of him. He felt dirty; to omit the truth from, then try to manipulate a girl towards the facts. He was sure in the next few years, Cana would be smart enough to note that his finances didn't check out; he had deliberately funneled all his money (through various dummy names) into one account, and left the bankbook out for her to see.

He hoped that on the day she confronted him on his activities, he could be completely honest, and she could accept him in spite of his flaws and his secret life. He didn't think he could stay on in Fairy Tail if she couldn't embrace the intent behind his actions. He knew he could count on Gildarts' and Makarov's support, but that was not enough in the family that was Fairy Tail. Family didn't keep each other in the dark. He had already made preparations for leaving the guild if there was ever a need; money had not been an issue as the amount of work picked up, and that money would solve most problems. The hole he had dug for himself grew bigger and bigger everyday, as Makarov always reminded him, but he was mentally ready to fall into the pit right from the beginning.

He frowned minutely as he mentally reviewed the _Hiraishin_ tags he had planted. He had no _Hiraishin_ tags in the area where he was supposed to go for his missions, but that was easily taken care of by just teleporting to the nearest one, and travelling from there. He estimated himself to have covered over sixty percent of Fiore's towns with his tags by now. He hoped there wouldn't be some sort of karmic backlash from abusing the technique. His father was a real genius for inventing it.

As he disappeared without a sign, his clone slouched on the couch and pulled out a Sorcerer Magazine to read. There was nothing better to do anyway.

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Naruto grunted as he slid the bloodied blade from the body of the last creature, the thick, coagulating blood flowing off his sword in rivulets. There were dozens of the forest green, scaled reptilian monsters that resembled giant snakes with legs. He didn't even know what they were called; he wasn't too concerned about the monsters that lurked in Fiore's wilderness when he arrived in Earthland. It didn't really matter to him anyway; nothing bar a dragon would pose any sort of threat to him. Hefting _Kubikiribōchō_ on his shoulder, he left the corpses of the creatures to feed scavengers as he approached the town for his mission reward.

Using _Kubikiribōchō_ was a new thing for him. He had initially taken the weapon as a sign of respect to Zabuza. He had heard of how Suigetsu took it from the man's grave, and afterwards, Kabuto handed it to _Edo Tensei_ Zabuza. Kakashi handled it for a bit, then it came into Naruto's hands. There was no way he would just pass it on to some unworthy person, and thus held on to the massive cleaver until he could find a successor. However, things went to hell and stayed that way, and Naruto didn't even realise he was carrying the weapon in a scroll until he was in Earthland and doing some inventorying. He wasn't particularly eager to use the weapon, given he was no _kenjutsu_ specialist. But as time went by, he felt Zabuza would be quite annoyed if his beloved _Dantō_ wasn't put to good use.

Given it was a massive beast of a weapon; there was only one real way to use it. Naruto didn't see the need to learn _kendō_ or any specific sword skills. He needed brute strength, and his reflexes would take care of everything else. If he planted a _Hiraishin_ seal on something, it was almost guaranteed dead with _Kubikiribōchō_. It was a weapon for bloodthirsty killing however, and even the ability of absorbing iron to repair itself alluded to the undeniable fact. Hence, he usually only used it for things he didn't mind killing. Like monsters terrorizing a small town, for example.

Making sure he was in his usual Ráfaga outfit, he collected the reward from the grateful townsfolk, earning an appreciative smile from the chieftain's pretty daughter. He guessed if he was exuding killing intent, then the bloody sword on his shoulder would look far more imposing than it did then. He tossed the gigantic weapon into a handy storage seal on his right wrist, and casually asked for directions. Thanking the chieftain, he headed for his true destination, a small community that lived near the edge of Waas Forest, north of the mountain range he was currently in. They had reported an alarming number of people disappearing in the night, and recently, some had just vanished in midday. The place was experiencing some freak weather patterns as well, with large storms constantly hovering over their small village.

Taking off at ninja speed, it took him a mere hour to cover the distance. Even from afar, he could see the large swirling storm situated above the village. It was strangely localized however, which only added to Naruto's suspicion. Sure, the climate did support a few rainy days here and there, but it should be nowhere as intense as it seemed. Furthermore, the clouds were centered on the village, and nowhere close to the scale of a real thunderstorm. He had heard of localized rain before, but for it to be so small yet so intense was a serious cause for concern.

Ditching his crimson coat and donning his Maelstrom one, his looks immediately changed to that of a brown-haired, emerald-eyed man, without the distinctive whisker marks on his face. It was a detail no one knew of him due to his facemask, but he knew the value of caution. His braided hair bounced off his back in an uncomfortable way until he tossed it around his neck, and hooked the hood over his head. Satisfied that he looked like his alter ego, he pulled up his sleeve. Tapping a small seal on his left wrist, he armed himself with a _Hiraishin_ _kunai_. He took nonchalant aim, and hurled the weapon as hard as he could.

The throwing knife sliced through the air at speeds far beyond what most people can throw them at, and at the apex of its flight, it found itself in Naruto's hand once more. One would think a man in midair would plummet to his death quite quickly. That wasn't exactly the case for Naruto however. His mastery over wind had improved by leaps and bounds since he had arrived in Earthland; he had managed to find some quality training and innovation time. Continuous spiraling jets of wind billowed from his feet, keeping him afloat. It was no substitute for actual flight; Naruto had no idea how to accomplish that yet. But hovering in midair looked cool in his opinion, and it worked a treat when intimidating dark mages who were frightened out of their skin just to hear Maelstrom was hunting them.

The village wasn't too far away, but Naruto wasn't about to risk his ass diving into the storm and trying to end it like he would have five years ago. Instead, he merely observed the crazy phenomenon that looked increasingly manmade. There was no way a storm cloud would just materialize above the town. If questioned, Naruto would hazard a guess and say the dark cloud, which was shaped like an upside-down funnel opening, was sucking people up and some mad scientist was using those people for experiments. Naruto didn't have high opinions on scientists or their experiments, not after what he had seen from Orochimaru and the dark guild Infernum.

Slipping into _Sennin Mōdo_, he expanded his senses to better study the strange storm. All of a sudden, the clouds spiraled inwards, shrinking until it disappeared without a whisper. With his enhanced vision, he could spot people rejoicing over the disappearance of the aggravating weather pattern. Everything seemed to be returning to normal, but Naruto's senses told him otherwise. There had been another presence, one that used its magic to nullify the swirling cloud. There were other forces at work here, forces Naruto was keen to uncover and hopefully prevent something like that from happening again.

His mind honing in on the signature of the mage in question, the currently brown-haired man tossed his weapon in that direction. The _Hiraishin_ _kunai_ flew unerringly true, and while it didn't make it all the way to the mysterious person, it allowed Naruto to get close enough. The mage was surprised to see that it was not some crazy old man, nor a mad scientist, but a young boy holding onto a wooden staff. He had a messy mop of striking blue hair, what looked like a tribal tattoo around his right eye, and a large backpack hung on his shoulders. He was dressed in a simple shirt and shorts, but looked far too wary of his surroundings to be anything less than a mage in training.

Naruto scratched his chin, pondering his options even as he tailed the boy carefully. He supposed to could approach him as Maelstrom, and demand some answers. However, judging by the looks on the young mage, he didn't seem too likely to divulge his secrets. He realised he was starting to think like Makarov when he considered reaching out to the blue-haired child as Ráfaga, and invite him back to Fairy Tail. The kid would need some support doing whatever it is he was doing, and Fairy Tail was one of the most accepting guilds in Fiore. _Man, now I'm helping Makarov pick up strays. What's next, I become the Fourth Guild Master?_

Swapping cloaks quickly was now an invaluable skill of his, and once he had his usual look (deactivating _Sennin Mōdo_ as he did so), he hopped off the branch he was perched on, and landed behind the boy, crunching several leaves under his feet. As he expected, the boy whirled around, staff already held in a defensive posture. Naruto held his hands up high, indicating his desire for nonviolence. Unconvinced, the kid aimed the tip of the needle-shaped staff at Naruto, a deep scowl adorning his face.

"What do you want?" the boy growled threateningly.

Naruto smiled behind his mask. _He doesn't look like a bad one._ "I saw your handiwork, helping that village. Care to explain?"

"It's none of your business," the boy scoffed, putting his staff back on his back, turned back around and started walking once again.

_Gotta teach him not to be so trusting, to show his back to a stranger like that,_ Naruto mused, as he fell in step with the boy. "I can help you with whatever it is you're doing you know. You're just a kid. You don't have to shoulder all the responsibility that you're carrying right now."

"It's a family matter," the boy responded carefully. "So I would appreciate if you didn't meddle in this business."

Naruto frowned. He could tell the boy wasn't lying, but the answer was as vague and evasive as they came. "I think I have a right to know when that thing sucked up some innocent civilians of the village. I'm a citizen of Fiore, and I'm frankly quite worried when it will be my turn to be sucked away from my home."

The boy paused in his step, casting an uneasy gaze at Naruto. The blond man stared back, almost beseeching the young mage to accept the offered aid. Biting his lip, he broke the stare. "Will you really help me? This isn't your problem, you know."

"And it shouldn't be the problem of a young man your age, either," Naruto retorted mildly. "So, what is the issue then?"

The boy stared at the clear sky, sighing rather forlornly for a child who ought to be enjoying his youth. "I'm not from Earthland. I'm from Edolas, a parallel dimension."

"And?" Naruto cocked an eyebrow, earning a befuddled glance from the blue-haired boy.

"What do you mean? Aren't you at least a bit shocked by that revelation?" the boy inquired, looking far more bewildered despite being the one with more information on hand. Naruto shrugged nonchalantly. "I know of someone who came to Earthland from Edolas, but that's unimportant. Continue with your story."

Casting a suspicious look at Naruto, the staff-wielding boy nevertheless did. "Our land has limited magic, while Earthland has unlimited magic. My father created the _Anima_, to collect people with magical power, and turn them into lacrima crystals so we can utilise that magic."

"And you decided it was something you couldn't watch your father do, consigning people of Earthland to die to replenish Edolas' magic?" Naruto inferred, to which the boy nodded. "Wait, you said your father created _Anima_…if Edolas needed magic, and your father is in charge of collecting it…is he some sort of important figure in Edolas? Head scientist? King's advisor?"

The boy shook his head rather miserably. "He's the…king of Edolas."

"You're a prince," Naruto deadpanned, shaking his own head in disbelief. "Who risked life and limb to come to Earthland to protect us from your father's schemes."

"In a way," the boy flinched.

Naruto groaned as he realised what it all meant. "You're going to have to hide your identity here, right? Edolas is a parallel dimension, which means there's an alternate you of Earthland. You definitely need my help, kiddo. There's no way you can go walking around, countering those things the way you are now."

"And I suppose you have a plan for that?" the boy glowered. Naruto nodded at the rhetorical taunt, to the boy's incredulity. "Well, I'm shouldn't be saying this at all, but given you are even more in need of anonymity…I'm actually using a false name right now. To be more exact, I have at least five identities running about in various guises, without anyone suspecting a thing. Does that reassure you of my capabilities?"

"That sounds reassuring in a very twisted way," the boy replied, looking a bit frightened. Naruto chuckled weakly. "Look, I'm just doing some on-the-side work here and there, with a bit of spying and espionage thrown in for good measure. And because of that, I deemed it rather important to keep my real identity secret. Not even my guild members know of my alter egos besides the guild master and the Ace, and even the information they have is limited. I'm not doing it for my own profit. As for why I'm confiding in you…well, you're going to face similar issues trying to hide your real self from people whom you consider family. I just thought it would make it easier for you if you knew there was someone you can confide in. I should know. I was desperate for a confidant when I began my work."

"Okay," the blue-haired mage smiled softly, convinced. "I'm Jellal, son of Faust, prince of Edolas. You are?"

Naruto's eyes widened at the name. "Wait, wait, wait. Jellal? Oh balls, that just complicated things by a lot. You'll have to hide your face and hair from everyone in Fairy Tail besides the guild master and myself…this is going to be tough."

"Is there something wrong?" the boy panicked slightly. "Is Jellal of Earthland an enemy of your guild?"

"No, but he has a deep history with one of our newer members, Erza Scarlet," Naruto sighed. "It's not my place to tell her story, and I only have secondhand accounts from the guild master anyway. You'll just have to be even more thorough with your disguise then."

"Oh," the boy sighed, relief flooding his veins. Naruto ruffled his hair playfully. "Well, I'm Uzumaki Naruto. In Fairy Tail though, you'll have to refer to me as Ráfaga Remolino."

"It's nice to meet you, Uzumaki-san," the boy grinned cheerfully. "I hope to learn many things from you!"

"Likewise," Naruto smiled, though his mind was far away by then.

_Dimensional travel, huh?_

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Roubaul smiled wistfully as he watched little Wendy Marvell interact with his guild members cheerfully, brightening up everyone's day with her sweet demeanour. He certainly didn't regret doing what he did, to provide Wendy with a home she could call her own for as long as she needed. However, that didn't mean he forgot his true purpose. "Are you after _Nirvana_?"

From the shadows behind him, a voice chuckled. "No, though I suppose my method of approach must have made you quite suspicious of me, Roubaul."

"You know my name?" the elderly mage croaked, a tad surprised.

"The young boy who brought Wendy here told me," Naruto replied, emerging from the tent to stand beside Roubaul. A handy illusion masked his presence beside the older man, preventing Wendy from noticing him. "You are quite the special mage, old man. To think, conjuring an entire guild of spirits, all to fulfill a little girl's dream."

Roubaul, stupefied, stared at the tall man beside him. Naruto's eyes, lined with red markings around his toad-like eyes, smiled back. "I can detect life force, and I don't sense a hint of it around this guild except for little Wendy over there. You're a spirit too, are you not? Your magic is incredible."

Roubaul sighed sorrowfully. "Yes. I died about four hundred years ago. When Wendy asked me if I was a guild master, I couldn't deny her request to join a guild. These are all illusions, but they are based on my former tribesmen. You won't tell her, right?"

"No. I'm only fulfilling the request of the boy who brought her here," Naruto crossed his arms. "I'm just watching out for her. I don't think she can join the guild he's joining though. She knows his real name, and that cannot be allowed to leak out. Will you take care of her?"

"Of course, without question," Roubaul nodded firmly. "Cait Shelter will be her loving home until she grows old enough to leave."

"Even for such a peaceful world, it's still built on lies," Naruto murmured, staring intently at his gloved hands. He composed himself soon after, his gaze never wavering from the raven-haired child named Wendy. "I'll leave her in your care. Don't mind me if I drop by once in a while to check on her."

"Do as you will," Roubaul responded. "It's not like I can stop a mage of your caliber while I'm a spirit, after all."

The man disappeared in a puff of smoke before Roubaul could finish his words, but the elderly mage knew the blond man had received the message anyway.

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"Ráfaga, you have got to stop sneaking into my room like this," Makarov groaned, as he shut his door. "It's wrong on so many levels."

"Shut it, you old coot," Naruto snapped, unhappy about the guild master's dig at his sexuality. The guild master had been harping about relationships in the last few months, and enjoying insinuating that he was gay. He was straight, damn it! Just because he didn't (and couldn't) have a girlfriend… "Look, I got you a new recruit. Mystogan, meet Makarov Dreyar. Old man, meet Mystogan."

Makarov cocked an eyebrow as he studied the young boy in front of him. The boy had a bandanna around his head, obscuring his hair from view. A metal plate was affixed to the bandanna, protecting the forehead. A green piece of cloth was wrapped around his face, allowing only the eyes to be seen. The rest of his clothes were more in line with what children of his age would wear; a black shirt and white shorts. A wooden staff longer than the boy was tall was strapped to his back. Makarov also spied a brown backpack on his floor behind them.

"Where did you find your mini-me?" Makarov sighed. "Please, Mystogan, don't be frightened to show your entire face in Fairy Tail, unlike that idiotic man behind you."

Naruto turned his head to the side, whistling. The boy shook his head, even as he removed his headgear. "I'm sorry, but I cannot, Master Makarov. I am from Edolas, and I hear from Uzumaki-san that a girl named Erza Scarlet has a rocky past with the Earthland version of me."

Makarov could only gape at the sight of the blue-haired boy before him, looking rather apologetic. "Ráfaga, what the hell?"

"Look, he's here for some very important work that only he can do, and I'm going to help him with. It also means you can call me Naruto in front of him," Naruto answered. It was true; only Mystogan could close _Animas_ with his Edolas-made equipment. Naruto could (and was going to) make one to mimic the staff's abilities, but that would take a long while. "So just let him into the guild already. Aren't you the one who's always picking up strays anyway? I noticed you found a dragon slayer for our guild."

"Wendy's a dragon slayer too," Mystogan mumbled, as he fiddled with the bandanna in his hand. "Maybe she should join Fairy Tail after all?"

"She's safe at Cait Shelter," Naruto denied the request, as much as he would like to do the same. "And it'll be easier for you to maintain your disguise without her to smell you out. So, what about it, Makarov? He's a brilliant little mage, and mature as heck for his age. A bit too much like Erza, if you ask me."

"Fine, fine, but you're going to be in charge of him. That includes teaching him life skills and whatnot," Makarov grunted, waving his hand dismissively. "Now get out of my room, unless you want to see my wrinkly butt again, like that night when you sneaked into my room?"

Mystogan gagged at the implications of the guild master's words, as Naruto seethed at the cheeky wink Makarov sent at him.

"Stop putting weird ideas in others' heads, you old bastard!"


	6. Chapter 5: Ivan

**Author's Note:** Welcome! I'm still pretty pumped up by the general response for my fic! You guys leave such supportive reviews. On one hand, it makes me pleased that I'm actually doing a decent job, but on the other, I'm mildly disappointed that I don't get to reply critical reviews and explain my stance :P

Anyway, I got distracted watching Cowboy Bebop, so I'll need a bit of time to work out my latest chapter (which I'm halfway through). Don't worry, I still have plenty of text in reserve that'll last until next week, keeping up with my one-chapter-a-day upload speed. Appreciate my otherworldly gift, you impatient plebeians! :D

_Dragonking20:_ I didn't have Wendy join because of the obscure prophecy thing Makarov(?) and someone were discussing after Wendy's arrival in the guild. Something about three dragon slayers gathered or whatnot. So I thought it would be wise to keep her away. Unfortunately, I'm not good with humour or omake, so you'll have to imagine the chaos that is trying to remove Naruto's mask. Erza won't get to fight Naruto until much, much later, and there won't be weapon use on his part, sorry :( As for the Strauss siblings, most specifically Mira, they will appear in Chapter 7.

_maelmorth:_ You must have missed my author's note on chapter...2, I think? There's no harem, just some chicks who like Naruto but he doesn't like them back. That's what the question mark is for. But given a few people have already informed me about that, I might take down the label to avoid further confusion.

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**Chapter 5: Ivan (X778)**

Makarov placed his hands in a steeple as he looked at the two mages that stood before him in his office. One of them looked rather serious, as befitting the situation; the other looked positively giddy at the potential carnage that would occur in short order. Sighing, he grabbed an official parchment off his desk, handing it over to the senior mage in the temporary partnership. "This is a mission from the Magic Council to do a takedown on a small dark guild, Corazón Oscuro. I'm not sure why this is assigned to us, and why we're not teaming up with other legal guilds to perform this duty, but these are orders from the top. Everyone else is unavailable, hence only the two of you will go."

"This will be a piece of cake, Makarov," Ivan Dreyar boasted, barely glancing through the letter before tossing it to Uzumaki Naruto. "I don't even need Ráfaga-chan on this one."

Makarov shook his head, sending a worried gaze at the silently reading Naruto. "No. As small as they might seem, they are still a dark guild. Some support will be good, even essential. You will need someone to cover your back. Dark guilds don't fight clean like we do."

"Feh, I'll show them their place with my _shikigami_-chan," Ivan grinned maliciously.

The blond man standing beside him handed back the mission slip to Makarov, nodding tersely at his guild master. "I think it won't be an issue with a powerful S-class mage like Ivan on our side."

Makarov caught the message between the lines. _Corazón Oscuro will not be able to expose me before Ivan._ Leaning back into his high-backed chair, Makarov gave them an encouraging smile. "Bring glory back to Fairy Tail, hmm?"

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Metallic wheels screeched as slowly, the large locomotive rolled into motion, carrying with it passengers and luggage. In a near empty carriage, there sat two men facing each other. One of them had a mischievous grin plastered on his face, while the other had his features obscured by a cloth mask. Even so, his cerulean eyes were expressive enough to convey his thinly veiled disdain for the tall, tanned man sitting across of him. The dark-haired man was unfazed, and only seemed to find his companion rather amusing for carrying disgust at him.

"How should we do this, Ivan?" Naruto asked politely.

"Ráfaga-chan, don't be so serious!" Ivan mocked playfully. "You'll make me lose my good mood!"

The blond man stared out of the window at the shifting views, cradling his cheek in his hand. "We're facing a dark guild, and I'm not an S-class mage as strong as you, Ivan. I think I'm entitled to feel a little uneasy about the situation."

Ivan cackled as if Naruto had cracked a particularly funny joke. "Aw, does Ráfaga-chan need Ivan's protection? Don't worry about a thing! Ivan's _shikigami_-chan will take care of all the bad guys for poor little B-class Ráfaga-chan!"

Naruto snorted at the insult, before falling silent. Makarov had warned him beforehand that the guild master's son was beginning to show a more cruel and sadistic side, and was toeing the line of legality as a mage. His manic, almost desperate attempts to scour Fairy Tail for its secrets were blatantly obvious to both Makarov and Naruto too, and the blond man was growing so wary of Ivan that he had begun some surveillance on his increasingly wayward guild member. From his secret observations of the man, Naruto was pretty certain Ivan had no love for Fairy Tail, and was as likely to hurt his guild members as he would his enemies. In spite of his feelings for Fairy Tail, he was somehow obsessed with the guild to the point of hysteria.

Naruto guessed the man had more than a couple screws loose in his head, and another would probably force Makarov to excommunicate his own son. Over the years, his narcissism and arrogance had been slowly driving him apart from other guild members and even his son Laxus, whom he held no love for. It would be for the better when Makarov finally found the will to remove his son from the guild, and allow the guild to become a more cohesive family once again. Naruto even thought Laxus could benefit from not pushing his body beyond the limits just to try and please his uncaring father.

The rest of the train ride was mired in uncomfortable silence, and when it was over, Naruto was glad to step out of the locomotive, and bask in the midday sun. Ivan was less enthusiastic about the fine weather, and grumbled for Naruto to follow his lead. As they left Clover Town and headed into the forests, Naruto watched carefully as Ivan released several of his _shikigami_ paper dolls into the wilderness, hoping to find any trace of Corazón Oscuro in the area. They were rather brazen to set up shop near the town where the legal guild masters had their annual meeting, but Naruto supposed they weren't wrong to abide by the old saying of 'the most dangerous place is the safest place'. No one would expect a dark guild to be hiding so close to Clover Town.

Their trek took them rather aimlessly up an increasingly steep slope, into one of the mountains that surrounded Clover Town. Naruto avoided mentioning that Corazón Oscuro was, in fact, on the next mountain over. But he had a cover to maintain, and Ivan was the senior mage on the mission. He had recently completed a spying mission on Corazón Oscuro for the Council as Maelstrom, and reported their small numbers and weak overall strength. It was probably what prompted the mission. He didn't know why the Council would ask Fairy Tail to complete it instead of Maelstrom, but he supposed they were trying to wean their reliance on his alter ego. The Rune Knights were picking up quite a bit of slack recently, especially since they had a new commander take over.

Naruto felt he should be glad for the decreasing demand for his services. It was difficult to keep up so many infiltrations. He had already dropped his identities in several dark guilds due to their minimal threat, and focused his time on Council requests and Fairy Tail responsibilities. With an increasingly powerful and clever Cana to teach, Mystogan to guide and close _Animas_ with, he was swamped. It was also getting harder not to just knock some humility into the eldest of the three newcomers, Mirajane Strauss. She was being a pain in the ass for everyone, including himself, and even the usually levelheaded Erza butted heads with her regularly. He was glad her siblings Elfman and Lisanna balanced out the trio.

His musing had distracted him from the mission, which unfortunately was going nowhere. Ivan looked rather annoyed by his _shikigami_'s lack of success. Tossing a few _shikigami_ into the air, they fluttered about until they snared an innocent bird from its nest. They brought it back to Ivan, who turned it into another one of his _shikigami_, before tearing into it viciously. Frowning at the man's cruelty, Naruto nonetheless didn't speak as Ivan seemed to have regained his vigour, and let loose a whole torrent of _shikigami_, far more than what he did earlier. Sitting down on the ground roughly, the dark-haired man leaned his back against a tree as he proceeded to wait for his _shikigami_ to return with good news. Naruto opted to stay standing, his arms folded as he also leaned against a trunk.

A look of unadulterated joy sprung up on Ivan's face after a long moment. He was an exceptionally expressive man, Naruto noted, as he received some information from his _shikigami_. Standing up, Ivan gestured for Naruto to follow as they ran through the forest, in the direction of where Naruto knew Corazón Oscuro was. Soon, even to Naruto's limited sensory abilities while not in _Sennin Mōdo_, he detected a magical presence ahead of them. Ivan bounded forward, and with a shout of glee, flooded the area with thousands of _shikigami_. Naruto observed as Ivan conjured a _Thought Projection_ away from his real body, and directed the mage on the forest floor to attack the projection through a minor illusion.

The _shikigami_ swirled around the mage, before they descended on him, cocooning him tightly in their papery hold. The mage had no time to scream as he was pulled down to the ground by his loss of balance, resembling a giant caterpillar cocoon with all the paper covering him. Only his nose and eyes were left exposed; his mouth was sealed to prevent him from alerting anyone else. Naruto had to applaud Ivan's skill. Naruto added an extra layer of security when chains sprung from his open palm, and wrapped around the man. More chains materialized from his back, and shot into the air. They arced in their flight, before stabbing into the ground in a circular pattern. A mildly reflective barrier flickered into existence, sealing the two Fairy Tail mages and their captive within.

"My barrier will keep all noise in," Naruto said quietly.

Ivan grinned as his _shikigami_ shifted to expose the man's mouth. "Are you from Corazón Oscuro?"

"Y-Yes," the man stuttered, clearly frightened out of his wits.

"Goood, mage-chan," Ivan smiled morbidly. His _shikigami_ whirled around his hand, before they coalesced to form what appeared to be a large claymore. "Now, mage-chan, you're going to tell me everything about Corazón Oscuro, or I'll have to start chopping!"

"I will, I will!" the dark guild member sobbed piteously. "P-Please don't kill me!"

"Start talking then, mage-chan," Ivan's maleficent smile widened.

"I-It's due east from here. We h-have about t-twenty members," the mage babbled, his emerald eyes watering. "O-Our guild master i-is in the g-guild b-building right n-now."

"What sort of magic does he use?" Ivan prodded the man with the sword. Though it didn't penetrate, it served its purpose of intimidating the man even further. "I-I don't know! H-He never t-told us. I've n-never seen h-him f-fight before!"

"I don't believe you!" Ivan roared, raising his claymore high, ready to chop down. The mage screamed in terror. "I-It's the t-truth! P-Please b-believe me!"

Ivan ignored the man's claims as he reversed his grip, before stabbing downwards. The _shikigami_ parted for their brethren, allowing Ivan's paper sword to stab right into the mage's knee. The man screamed himself hoarse as the raven-haired mage twisted his blade, clearly enjoying the captured mage's hollers and tears. Ivan ripped the blade out of the prisoner, laughing joyously as the man wailed at the excruciating pain. The Fairy Tail mage raised his blade once more, ready to run it through the other leg, when a crisscrossed net of chains blocked his downward thrust. He glared chillingly at Naruto, who glared right back.

"There's no need to torture him," Naruto glowered, having observed the situation at Corazón Oscuro personally. "He's just a grunt. Our intel told us the guild master's abilities already."

"He's a dark guild member, Ráfaga-chan," Ivan riposted coolly. "Why do you care?"

"Because this isn't how Fairy Tail operates," Naruto hissed back.

His hair grew prodigiously to cradle the man, pulling him away from Ivan. Ivan snarled at his partner, pulling back all of his _shikigami_ to swirl around him in a flurry of white. Naruto's hair caught the man, forming a makeshift stretcher and straps to hold the mage in place, lest he move around too much and injure himself further. Then, Ivan pulled back all his _shikigami_, a stern frown on his face. "I'm the commander on this little mission, so you better don't interrupt my fun again, Ráfaga-chan."

As Ivan stalked off in anger, Naruto retracted all his chains, leaning down to speak with the captured mage. "I'm going to put you to sleep now. You might have to sit in jail for a while, but you will be fine."

The mage nodded quickly, as Naruto hovered his hand above his forehead, sending the man into a dreamless slumber. Marking him with a _Hiraishin_ seal to remember his location, he tied the man up with ninja wire, before running to catch up with Ivan. He did a quick check of his equipment as he moved, fingering the _Hiraishin_ _kunai_ as he brought them in and out of the storage seal on his wrist.

He had a feeling they might be seeing some use later.

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Naruto wished he had Kurama there, so he could pretend the fox can track the mage's scent to the Corazón Oscuro hideout that he knew the location of. Unfortunately, Kurama was too unmotivated to follow Naruto on non-Maelstrom missions anymore, given Naruto's penchant for easier missions as Ráfaga. The fox preferred to follow Cana nowadays, and sometimes he sought Lisanna for some cuddling when the former was getting antsy about Naruto's frequent disappearances. Mirajane had been critical about Lisanna 'consorting with pets of people from Erza's gang', but gave in eventually when Kurama once pouted at her, widening his watery eyes. Most adults swore the fox was using _Charm Magic_ to attract girls; if Naruto didn't know any better, he would have thought so too.

Stumbling through the forest with Ivan in the lead, they eventually came upon the guild headquarters of Corazón Oscuro. It was built in a clearing no doubt cleared for that very purpose; a small rickety shack that showed the desperate times the guild had fallen in. Ivan, still in a bad mood, didn't bother with basic recon. He walked right up to their doors, and smashed it in. Naruto followed behind cautiously, a good five steps away from the enraged S-class mage. There was only a smattering of the scant few members the guild possessed, but as the mage they interrogated earlier revealed, the guild master was indeed in the building. He was seated on a wooden seat facing the doors of the building, his hands clasped together in front of him.

He was a graying man, with a long beard that reached his waist. Dressed in a black shirt and slacks, along with a baggy coat, he looked miserable in his ramshackle guild. His leather shoes were worn and battered, and his wrinkled face conveyed a sense of resignation. Naruto felt a small pang of pity for the guild master; his guild had been declared illegal after they took on a high-paying assassination job to settle the outstanding debts they had. Needless to say, they regretted that decision when the news leaked, and were in the slumps ever since.

"I see we have finally been found," the man rumbled, standing up from his creaking chair. "I am Fuegor, master of Corazón Oscuro."

"Ivan Dreyar, Fairy Tail," Ivan grinned, his mood getting better. "We're here to demolish you!"

"Ráfaga Remolino," Naruto introduced lamely.

"He's mine!" Ivan roared, as he dashed forward, a stream of _shikigami_ flying ahead of him.

Fuegor countered by raising his palm, launching a large fireball that engulfed Ivan and his paper dolls. As the two mages did battle, that left Naruto to fight the rest of the members in the guild hall. He slowly retreated out the door as the Corazón Oscuro members walked towards him, before they shift gears and moved into full-blown sprints. Naruto sped up as well, moving backwards as he kept his eyes on them. They were as familiar with treading forest terrain as he was, and caught up with him in no time. There were thirteen of them.

Naruto grunted as he dodged various magic attacks, ducking behind a tree that exploded right after, sending splinters everywhere. His hair surrounding him in a shield of sharp spikes, Naruto then unleashed his chains, swiftly binding two that were too slow to escape. The chains wrapped around them tightly, Naruto swung them at their fellow mages, succeeding in distracting them from attacking him. The G-forces were too much for them to handle, as Naruto could feel them go limp in his chains. Dropping the two mages, the blond ninja rolled away from another intense barrage that cratered where he last stood.

_Two down._

_Hari Jizō_ was required once again, Naruto hiding in his cocoon of hardened hair while getting peppered by attacks. Hidden by his technique, Naruto quickly drew in a bit of Eternano. Sage chakra mixed, he quickly flagged the two closest mages that were about to enter melee range. His hair suddenly grew to enormous lengths, twirling together before forming a giant maw. The hair proceeded to scoop the two screaming mages into its mouth, before Naruto hardened his hair into its usual spikes. More screams were heard, and blood could be seen trickling out of the mass of hair. The giant hair creation opened its jaw, and released the two mages, both of them bleeding profusely from many tiny stab wounds. Naruto ensured the hair didn't penetrate too deep; they would die of blood loss if they were left alone for too long, but nothing fatal as of yet.

_Four down._

A mage wielding _Earth Magic_ sought to encase him in a prison of earth, but Naruto slipped out of the earthen dome in time, his brief _Sennin Mōdo_ over. He ducked as a knife came flashing too close to his face for comfort, and sweep-kicked the man, before blasting him aside with the blunt tips of two chains that sprouted from his palms. The mage released a choked shout from his lips, before his back collided with the rough bark of a tree, slumping to unconsciousness at the base of the trunk.

_Five down._

The _Earth Magic_ mage was clearly one wily foe, as Naruto found his footing shaken by the shifting ground. A large tree nearly toppled right on top of Naruto as well, who only just managed to roll out of the way. Naruto shot more chains from his hands, sweeping them about in a large wave. The chakra constructs knocked three down onto the ground, but not out of the count. A sneakier one managed to get close to his left, and swiped at him with claws extending from her fingernails. She was taken aback by the chains that emerged from Naruto's spine, and her hesitation proved her downfall as she was caught in a tightening hold. A quick rabbit punch to her temple knocked her out.

_Six down_.

One of the three fallen mages recovered enough to stand, but the other two had suffered the chains hitting their heads at high speeds. Too woozy to do much, they were quickly apprehended by chains bursting out from the soil, capturing them. Naruto extended those chains, using the mages as clubs once again. However, he was unable to move this time, given the chains had originated from his feet. The _Earth Magic_ mage was first to realise the fact; being attuned to the ground must have helped. A colossal wave of dirt and uprooted trees rose from behind Naruto, threatening to drown the blond in a sea of soil. Naruto threw the two dizzy mages aside, retracting his chains just as the wave crushed him.

Hair erupted from beneath the _Earth Magic_ user, the giant maws clapping around the shocked mage. A hand punched out of the loose dirt, and as Naruto clambered out of his temporary prison, he was at the end of another barrage. The hair rose higher into the air, before tossing the captured mage at his compatriots. One was too slow to dodge, and was knocked unconscious by the heavyset man. Down to three, they launched everything they had at Naruto. The thick mass of hair that was stretching from his scalp into the ground sprouted another thick mat of hair, which protected the blond mage once more with _Hari Jizō_.

_Ten down_.

Chains tore through the physical defence of hair, tunneling between strands. They caught two mages by the neck, and before the dark guild members could pull the metal away from their throats, their heads were knocked together painfully. Naruto's hair fell away as he emerged from his cocoon, twin fists catching the two captured men in their jaws. With two loud cracks, their heads lolled back, clearly unconscious from the blow. The last mage trembled as he stumbled backwards, his shaky hands held in front of him. As the large magic circle appeared in front of him, Naruto spun his body, his right leg raised. It cut through the circle, and smashed against the man's right ear, discombobulating him. The foot pressed against his face until it hit the ground, taking consciousness of the mage with it.

_All down._

Naruto raced back to the Corazón Oscuro home, where it seemed Ivan was finishing up. The building was on fire, though Naruto hazarded it was more the guild master's fault than Ivan's. Ivan was dragging the barely conscious man by his coat, the beaten man's feet digging small furrows in the soft dirt. Throwing him against a tree, Ivan laughed maniacally as he formed his _shikigami_ blade once more, slashing wildly at the defeated _Fire Magic_ mage. The cuts were shallow and non-life-threatening. But the behaviour was unforgivable.

"ENOUGH!" Naruto roared hotly, slamming his shoulder against Ivan.

Ivan snarled, slashing at Naruto. Belying his supposed B-class ranking, he reflexively stepped back, avoiding the slash. It took the next adrenaline-filled second for Naruto to realise he had just blown his cover. Even the _shikigami_ user knew Naruto shouldn't have been able to dodge the move. Ivan tightened his grip on his blade. "Who are you?"

"Your guild mate," Naruto replied stonily. "Cease your attacks. Fuegor's been defeated already."

"He's the master of a dark guild. Are you sympathizing with him?" Ivan narrowed his eyes, a murderous gleam entering his eyes. "I think I shall take you in too, _spy-chan_."

Everyone in the vicinity could tell Ivan had no qualms about cutting down his guild member. In fact, he was relishing the prospect of defeating Naruto. He wasn't going to listen to reason, and he certainly wouldn't let Naruto's explanation convince him. There was no other choice but to fight. Naruto steeled his heart, silently begging Makarov to forgive him. Putting his two hands together to form a cross shape, three identical Narutos appeared out of thin air. Ivan stared in shock as one of them grabbed Fuegor and retreated to where the man's comrades had been defeated by Naruto, while the other two stood on each side of Naruto.

"You have been a naughty boy, Ráfaga-chan," Ivan taunted, wagging his index finger.

The man threw his _shikigami_ sword aside, the weapon dissolving into a stream of paper dolls. He raised his open palms at the three Narutos, and cackled as a spiraling torrent of _shikigami_ tore through the open space between them. With a loud laugh, the torrent split into multiple streams, surrounding and colliding on the trio. His joy was quickly ended when an intense blaze erupted from Naruto's location, quickly burning up all of his _shikigami_. Ivan scrambled aside just in time as the burning oil tore down a large conical section of the forest in front of Naruto, who looked apathetically at the collateral damage he just caused. The clones dispelled as Ivan laughed madly once more, dashing towards Naruto with a reformed _shikigami_ sword.

Ivan slashed at him recklessly. But instead of dodging, Naruto punched in front of him. His fist slipped through the _Thought Projection_, and caught the invisible Ivan right on the chin, staggering the larger man. His _Projection_ flickered away, and he stumbled back, his footing shaky. Naruto followed up with a heavy knee to the stomach, lifting Ivan several inches off the ground. Saliva spurted from his lips, but before he could regain his breath, a spinning Naruto smashed an elbow against his jaw, knocking a few teeth loose. The blond man grabbed his opponent's wrist as he fell, and pulled him back. Naruto crashed his knee into Ivan's side, cracking a few ribs, and slammed his foot into the back of Ivan's knee, dropping him into a half kneel.

Spinning once more, Naruto cracked a knifehand strike against Ivan's throat, causing a choked gurgle to emanate from the mage's lips. Eyes rolled back into his head as Ivan collapsed backwards awkwardly, his right leg and left arm trapped under his own body. Naruto spat at the ground in disgust, before moving to secure Ivan.

Fuegor could only stare wide-eyed at the scene.

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Makarov was reading the report from the Council commending the job well done by Fairy Tail, when he heard the door of his home slam open and shut. Curious as to who would bust into his home in such a foul mood (given Laxus was out on a mission and Ivan should be just returning with Naruto from a successful mission), he walked down the stairs to greet the individual. A tied up, gagged and boneless Ivan was held in a fireman's carry on Naruto's shoulder, standing in the middle of the Dreyar home. He shook his head in equal parts disappointment and anger as his unconscious and bound son was thrown at his feet. Naruto stood before his guild master, the blond man looking's eyes reflecting his suppressed desire for inflicting hurt.

"What did Ivan do?" Makarov inquired in resigned tones.

"He tortured a man for fun, then attacked the guild master of Corazón Oscuro when he was already defeated," Naruto sneered in disdain, kicking the fallen mage childishly. "When I tried to stop him, he attacked me. Suffice to say, I fought back."

"He knows you are not what you seem then?" Makarov sighed in exasperation.

Naruto nodded curtly. "I don't care about my name, my reputation. But he's got to go, for the sake of Fairy Tail. It's a guild under your command, yes, but it's also everyone's guild. There are impressionable young children joining our guild, and they shouldn't have to deal with, or work with someone like Ivan."

"I know," the old man sounded his age for once, as he stood up from his seat. "I know."

Naruto watched as Makarov kneeled down to gently snap the ninja wires that were tied around his son, his tears threatening to spill. His heart aching for his master, Naruto's own tears gathered at the edge of his eyes as he watched the aging father removed the cloth gag from his son's mouth. Makarov wiped his leaking tears with his arm. "Did anyone see his actions?"

"Other than the mages he tortured? No," Naruto replied softly. "Maybe…maybe excommunicating him is a bit harsh? Can you get through to him?"

Makarov let out a hollow laugh, shaking his head despondently. "Ivan has always been greedy for power. Money, status, strength as a mage…it didn't matter, he wanted it all. When he discovered the secret of Fairy Tail, he tried so hard to get it. He even assaulted some members when searching the guild building. People brushed it off as friendly brawling, but you and I both know better. He doesn't care for anyone but himself now. You're right, he has to go."

"Do you need me to do anything for you?" Naruto asked quietly. "I can arrange for him to leave this guild proudly."

"No, the guild deserves to know," Makarov remarked sadly, moving around his son to pat Naruto on the arm. "Thank you, for not killing him."

"It's Fairy Tail's unofficial law, isn't it? Not to take lives," Naruto replied, his azure eyes meeting the old man's. The balding guild master grinned as he squeezed his eyes shut. "Yes, it is. You deserve a good rest for your good work. I don't want to see you picking up a job anytime soon, you hear me?"

"Sure, old man. I got my own things to do anyway," Naruto's eyes curved into happy crescents, as he turned to leave.

_I need some time alone to grieve._

_I'll take care of your children for you._

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"Everybody's looking at me through rose-tinted glasses since I was a kid just 'cause I'm 'your grandson'!" Laxus exclaimed, his eyes narrowed in anger. "Doesn't matter what the hell I do, it's always, 'well he is Makarov's grandson', 'he is the grandson of the master of Fairy Tail, after all'…I never get any proper credit for anything!"

"You're thinking about this far too much," Makarov replied gingerly, scratching his cheek nervously. His mind unwittingly drifted over to thoughts of a certain mage he knew who avoided _his_ deserved credit like the plague. "Proper credit is a remarkably difficult thing for anybody in this world to achieve…"

"It pisses me off enough already, without you bringing that shame upon me as well!" Laxus shouted, gesturing at his grandfather angrily.

Makarov sighed, tucking his hands into the sleeves of his bathrobe. "Look…"

"Don't you even have any goddamn feelings?! Why did you excommunicate my dad, damn it?!" Laxus roared, to which Makarov sighed. The guild master of Fairy Tail shut his eyes, squaring his shoulders. "He was a danger to the guild."

"Okay, so he did a lot of stupid things!" Laxus cried, his anger reaching its limit. "But he's still your son, isn't he?! He's still family, damn it!"

The balding mage stared into Laxus' eyes unwaveringly, his tone serious and final. "Family or not…I cannot allow a man who endangers the lives of his comrades to be a member of this guild. Like the generation before me, I will protect this guild. That is the way of Fairy Tail."

"Then what…are you gonna get rid of me an' all?" Laxus sneered, his clenched fists white. "If you do, I'll just go join the guild my dad founded, and I'll take you out!"

Makarov's eyes widened in shock at Laxus' words. "The guild he…founded? Do you mean to say you know where he is right now?"

"Hah, like you give a crap. Ain't no use pretending like you care at this point," Laxus scoffed derisively, turning his back on his grandfather. Makarov called out desperately. "W-Wait! He left the guild in possession of extremely sensitive information regarding Fairy Tail! We must find him, or the guild may be in danger!"

Laxus stuffed his hands into his pockets, his shoulders hunched. "Says the guy who went and chased him out…"

"Laxus!" Makarov shouted, his frustrations beginning to boil over as well.

"I'm going to surpass you one day…not for my father, but so that I can be myself…" Laxus intoned darkly, before shooting a fierce glare at Makarov. "So I can be a man in my own right."

The blond teen stalked out of Makarov's room angrily, slamming the door shut as he stormed out of the Dreyar household. Makarov clenched his fists as he struggled to hold back the anger at his son, his grandson, and himself. His knuckles popped as he shut his eyes, forcing the tears back. Then, he relaxed his fists, taking a deep breath as he regained his composure. Naruto stood before the _Titan Magic_ user, his hands in his pant pockets. His right hand pulled out a slip of paper, which he handed to Makarov.

"Raven Tail," Naruto murmured. "The name of the guild Ivan set up."

Makarov shook his head as he tucked the slip into his bathrobe. "You are too efficient, Naruto. I just heard of Ivan's new guild, and here you are, presenting me the information already."

"No need to thank me," the ninja sighed, before pointing his thumb over his shoulder at the door. "You could have taken my suggestion to let Ivan go with his head held high, you know. It was quite clear Laxus would be deeply affected by Ivan's excommunication."

"And my reply remains the same," Makarov huffed.

"Your choice. Anyway, he's not doing anything special at the moment, although he's mass recruiting mages from all the dark guilds that I dismantled as Maelstrom. He's already broken out plenty of dangerous criminals from jails to add to his forces," Naruto said. "He hasn't done anything substantial yet, but from what I could glean when joining his guild, he's making preparations for an eventual war with Fairy Tail. There's talks of joining the Balam Alliance, but from my understanding of Ivan's personality, he will be too proud to do that, even if the alliance is just a non-aggression pact."

"And the thing that I requested you to help me with?" Makarov cocked an eyebrow.

Naruto nodded. "I've infiltrated that guild already, and I'm working my way up. He's not the type to let the grunts know anything, given how impractical and silly that will be with hundreds of no-name mages. They are gathering mages too, though legal ones, and even did one or two relatively peaceful takeovers of other legal guilds. They have four subdivisions now, and he doesn't look like he's stopping soon. No concrete moves are being made yet, but he's definitely afraid of you, and won't touch Fairy Tail until he thinks he has complete control over the situation."

"Is he prepared for his guild to be deemed dark?" Makarov asked seriously. Naruto nodded, eliciting a sigh from the elder mage. "So it's going to happen no matter what. I can't help but fear for our children, Naruto. They are still too young for these conflicts."

"Don't worry on that front. They are growing stronger day by day, and the bonds of family will spur them further," Naruto replied pensively, gazing out the office windows into the clear skies above Magnolia Town. "Have faith in them. Besides, he won't make a move until he's absolutely sure he can defeat us, which means he's waiting for Gildarts to leave long and far enough not to be a threat. Given his idea of far enough is the hundred year mission which someone else is on right now, it'll be a while yet before he tries anything."

"Even so…" Makarov trailed off.

"Tch, fine. I'll show off my strength there, become his elite, and be privy to _all_ his plans," Naruto rolled his eyes. "Will that make you feel more secure, old man?"

Makarov smiled thinly. "That's your speciality, not mine. Do what you need to do."

"What a bothersome old man. I should never have made that offer," Naruto groused, even as he threw a cheeky grin at his guild master. He disappeared instantaneously, leaving the Wizard Saint to his thoughts. He pulled the slip Naruto gave him out of his pocket, a grim frown on his face. "Raven Tail, huh?"

_Ivan, how far will you fall?_


	7. Chapter 6: Trouble

**Author's Note:** Woah. Looks like I have plenty of reviews that I can reply! And all your reviews are so positive. I feel so loved ;) Thank you all! For those amazed by my upload speed, I'm sorry, but my updates are only that quick because I wrote all this stuff long before I posted the first chapter. I mentioned it to some reviewers (and on my profile), and was requested to upload all of it. So once it hits chapter 14/15, it's going to slow down and depend on my writing speed like every other story :(

Oh, and I think it's probably best I take down that harem label, since it's only promoting confusion. I initially thought it was a pretty smart idea...

_Divebomb Crow:_ I think it's pretty obvious, no? It's blatant, but it seems cooler to foreshadow, no matter how I write it :D

_Alter Avans:_ I tried to make my Naruto less Gary-Stu, but it can be tough to keep his power levels down. I mean, ever since _Sennin Mōdo_ appeared in canon, Naruto's power has been climbing exponentially, even worse than the _Sharingan_. With _Kage Bunshin_ and ten years pre-canon to train, he can be insanely powerful. I tried to tune him down (which was incredibly hard), and I hope he doesn't feel too Gary-Stu in later chapters!

That's the main reason why I removed Kyūbi from the story. Looking at canon now, if Naruto kept that _Bijū Mōdo_, he would eat everything but Acnologia and possibly Zeref alive. _Bijūdama_ is too damn broken. So no, I don't have plans for Kyūbi, but if an idea that doesn't break the power ceiling in _Fairy Tail_ comes to mind, I'll throw it into the story.

_SusanoosUltimateDefense:_ Not a flashback. Check the dates. Canon _Fairy Tail_ begins in X784. From the prologue through to chapter 7 will be pre-canonical stuff. It gives me more room to weave Naruto into the world, and room to add content as I see fit ;)

_Dragonking20: _Sorry to disappoint you, but no S-class trials ahead, so no Cana/Erza/Mira/Mystogan promotions :( I didn't think it added that much to the plot, given that Naruto would most certainly not participate (as he's sandbagging). Plus, I was anxious to get to canon. The Laxus scene is a flashback scene taken straight from manga, before he fights Mystogan.

_TheAFGNCAAP: _I just thought it was the most appropriate thing to do, leaving him with chakra. I actually have another crossover idea where the _Fairy Tail_ world is the same world as _Naruto_, just across the seas/beyond the lands and in the future. The Jūbi, defeated, becomes the One Magic (which Hades called evil). Naruto then gets revived to become a champion of the gods (with god slayer powers, obviously), to make sure no god slayer turns into an Acnologia...

Anyway, for the Naruto/Mirajane thing, I pondered a while on the age gap thing, but when re-reading the manga for reference, I noticed Wakaba flirting with Mira. That in itself doesn't mean much, but Wakaba is in his thirties, and was in the guild when Mirajane arrived. So despite watching her grow up (and bully him), by canon, he sort of sees her as a grown woman. So I thought, 26 is not an issue at all, and left it at that.

_Straider: _Well, there are consequences for every action, including keeping secrets. Isn't emotional dialogue part of character development anyway?

_Forgotmypassword: _Cute :P

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto or Fairy Tail.

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**Chapter 6: Trouble (X780)**

Out in the forests that surrounded Magnolia Town, two individuals were training hard. Actually, that would be a bit of a misnomer; one of them was putting in the hard yards and improving himself. The other was halfheartedly sparring with his far younger opponent, only taking care not to injure his protégé. Suddenly, the older man faltered in his tracks, receiving a painful jab to the stomach for his momentary pause. When he didn't react for the next ten seconds however, it got his student worried. His eyes, usually bright and clear, were clouded over, his pupils dilating heavily.

"Naruto-_sensei_?" Mystogan prodded the stock-still man with his staff gingerly. "Are you okay?"

The man underwent a full body shudder, before his misted eyes cleared. Shaking his head, he ruffled the Edolas prince's hair genially. "Sorry kiddo, but it appears I'm going to have to leave a _Kage Bunshin_ here to train you. There's something up."

"What happened?" Mystogan queried, his wide eyes conveying his curiosity. "Do you need any help?"

Naruto bit his lip, before providing the preteen a wide grin. "No. It's safer that I do this alone. It involves Maelstrom anyway. Keep working on your _bōjutsu_. I'll be back by tomorrow. Watch over the house for me, will you? I trust you more than Cana-chan to keep it secure. That girl's going to be the death of me, I swear."

Mystogan watched with an awestruck gaze as his _sensei_ formed an identical copy of himself, who stayed behind to train him as the original man disappeared without a whisper. He knew very well he was still a long way from matching his teacher's capabilities (and perhaps never, given how much he knew the man trained out of sight), but to be able to teleport around Fiore with such impunity was just ridiculous. He consoled himself with the thought that he was leagues ahead of other kids his age thanks to the instructions of his _sensei_, and that he didn't give Naruto headaches like Cana did with her imbibing. Mystogan knew Naruto truly regretted offering to cover twenty percent of the guild's drinking tab, having felt responsible for Cana's drinking habits.

Now the girl more often than not stumbled to bed drunk as a skunk, even if she was improving her alcohol tolerance at mind-boggling rates. Mystogan reckoned Naruto would need to pick up an SS-rank mission every fortnight if he continued to pay for her drinks. Mystogan ended up being their unofficial (and hidden) house custodian because of Cana's constant inebriated state, which he didn't mind in all honesty. He could peer at Naruto's documents in his room while he was out; extensive and garbled notes on _jutsu_, thick manila folders detailing information on practically every mage (legal, dark _or_ independent) in Fiore, and a set of naughty books that Mystogan found out were written by his _sensei_'s godfather and teacher.

Just because he had to shun people due to his circumstances, didn't mean he wasn't a young man, damn it!

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He grinned menacingly as he smashed the door to the apartment open, his mouth salivating at the murderous thoughts that raged through his mind. Stretching his hands downwards and crossing his wrists, he then swung his hands in an outward circular motion. A blast of smoke obscured him, before three people stood where one was previously. The first mage on the scene was coated in thick black makeup around his eyes and lips, with unhealthy pale skin that bordered on bone white. Long raven hair trailed to his feet, with two bangs that reached his waist framing his face. His clothes comprised spiked shoulder guards and forearm bracers, coupled with leather pants and a skull-buckled belt. He also wore flame motif greaves and black boots, while carrying a heavy metal guitar designed like a horned skull. A large tattoo of the word 'skeleton' stretched across his pectorals.

The second member of their group was just as conspicuous as his team member. Bearing the body of a large muscular man, he had the head of a brown owl instead. Two large rockets were strapped to his back, and he wore green shorts held up by a belt. He wore sneakers decorated with the same logo as his belt buckle, and on his bare calf, a flame tattoo could be seen. He also wore wristbands and armbands that had long bird feathers attached to it, akin to wings.

The last of the trio was a beautiful woman, dressed in a loose white _kimono_. A beauty mark existed under each eye, and her bright red lipstick caught as many eyes as her light pink hair, tied into two ponytails that looped above her head before trailing to her waist. A black and red _obi_ was wrapped around her waist. Her kimono was adorned with skull and abstract flame designs, and a decorative goat skull was pinned to her _obi_. A black choker was affixed to her neck, and a red _nodachi_ held in her hand. It was this last member that first spoke, gazing fearlessly at the lone man who stood in the middle of the bare apartment.

"Such is the fate of those who live and die by the blade," Ikaruga remarked. "That my admiration for Maelstrom must be expressed in death."

The navy cloak of the man shifted slightly as he raised his head to study his three opponents. "I should have known it would be the three of you. Death's Head Caucus reports to Tartaros after all. You are Trinity Raven, I presume? Ikaruga, Vidaldus Taka, and Fukurō, one of the best assassination teams available for hire."

"That's right, Maelstrom!" Vidaldus exclaimed, swinging his hair wildly. "We're here to send you to hell!"

The man snorted, clearly unbothered by the presence of three top-notch assassins. "I'm not even here. This is a similar technique to _Thought Projection_. You think I wouldn't know when Tartaros uncovered my spy? You think he didn't inform me that one of the three most powerful dark guilds is after my life? I've been preparing for this fight for a while now."

"Befitting a mysterious man of myriad talents," Ikaruga murmured, bringing her sleeve to her mouth. "And which auspicious location shall bear witness to our glorious battle?"

"I will be waiting thirty miles due west of here," Maelstrom informed.

"The bringers of justice will arrive there shortly," Fukurō hooted. "Be ready for your punishment, evildoer!"

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Naruto had expected the day to come when his espionage efforts were finally unearthed by the dark guilds. They didn't just survive in the world; they thrived, and that meant that the members weren't stupid. Firepower was important in asserting a guild's strength, yes, but one didn't just thrive as a criminal purely by using brawn. Naruto was pretty pleased his various infiltrations had lasted so many years; he was not the subtlest of people as a child, and his skills at espionage were more of a necessity than something he was innately good at. He never managed to gain a foothold in either Grimoire Heart or Oración Seis; one was mobile and impossible to find, while the other was too small and hard to join without raising suspicion. But Tartaros he could join quite easily, and it was no surprise that the dark guild was the first onto him.

He had been a middling member in Tartaros, and that suited his purposes just fine. But from what he understood when his interrogator blabbed, the dark guild Infernum was working for Tartaros, and Naruto's demolition job had destroyed the research that Tartaros wanted to get their hands on. They had a sensor type as well, and by studying the chakra residue Maelstrom left behind at the battle, they matched it to his alter ego. Luckily, it was only a _Kage Bunshin_ deputizing, and it popped before Naruto could get any more memories of mind-scarring torture. He knew they would be after him now that he proved he was capable of infiltrating even one of the most powerful dark guilds. At first, he was just a nuisance to the Balam Alliance; attacking the small dark guilds that the Magic Council found with their vast resources was not a challenge for any powerful S-class mage. But for him to be able to reach the inside of these guilds was a recipe for disaster that even Tartaros didn't want to take chances on.

He had been fully expecting Tartaros to send their top guns to destroy him. But it seemed they didn't really see his infiltration as a dent to their pride, or they would have personally intervened to regain their lost honour. From what he saw in Tartaros, they didn't seem too averse to admiring enemies and their skills. If it had been Ivan and Raven Tail, Naruto was sure he would have been paid a visit by all the members of the guild Ivan felt were necessary to humiliate Naruto in the worst way possible. He was pretty impressed with their pragmatic thinking. Sending another dark guild to do the dirty work ensured the safety of their members. It also gave the dark guilds under their command some measure of pride, to be relied upon against the greatest of threats. It fostered loyalty and could even help breed a little competitive spirit as well.

But all of those observations would be moot if he failed to survive, even if he was pretty confident of his chances against Trinity Raven. Of course, he could have led them on a merry chase around Fiore, but Naruto didn't see the point. He was easily capable of hiding from them for a long time; no one knew who he was anyway, and tracking him via his energy signature was going to be more luck than finesse. Since the dark guilds have gotten wind of his espionage, he was going to drop his infiltration gigs anyway. There was no point in doing so when the guilds would now be actively looking out for his presence. He planned on just beating the assassins after him, and sending them back with a message of peace. He was pretty sure the dark guilds would accept his olive branch, especially if Tartaros was as savvy as they seemed. Also, they'll have their eyes on the assassins to see if they were turned, which would draw their focus away from him.

And obviously, there was an opportunity here too. He could use the assassins for counterintelligence, and even buy them over to his cause. Trinity Raven and their guild, Death's Head Caucus were known for their specialization in assassinations, but that didn't mean they didn't accept money for other jobs. Naruto had saved up plenty; he could easily hire them to spy on their own, and the blond man was confident they wouldn't have any qualms doing so too. Finally, he had the urge to fight some worthy opponents. Hiding his abilities as Ráfaga meant he didn't get a challenge as a Fairy Tail member, and Maelstrom wasn't getting as many missions involving fighting as of late. The last big battle he had was with Ivan, and he was a pushover. Trinity Raven promised to be a decent fight, given their impeccable record at assassinations. If they were back in the Elemental Countries, Naruto reckoned they would be welcome at any village.

_That speaks so much about the lifestyle my people led, and the lifestyle I'm demanded to lead now,_ Naruto mused nostalgically, as he stood in the middle of a perfectly circular clearing he recently made just for that very battle. It was easy to just sink everything into the ground with _Doton: Yomi Numa_ and harden the earth once more with a simple fire technique. It was a travesty to nature and beauty, but the younger Fairy Tail members like Natsu destroyed far more through collateral damage anyway. It didn't take long for Trinity Raven to arrive at the scene, the trio landing adroitly across Naruto. Vidaldus looked excited at the upcoming battle, and Fukurō was unreadable thanks to the owl head he had. But Ikaruga had a strange expression on her face.

Naruto frowned, unable to decipher her thoughts. He wished he could, but he never learnt how to read women. Jiraiya told him it was a skill most men would chop their arms off to possess. Given how he never noticed Hinata's love for him until she confessed to him in battle, or be able to pick up Sakura's moods, he was inclined to agree. No one ever told him that he was just plain dense not to see their thoughts despite how transparent those two girls were with their emotions, but the point remained.

Steeling his heart in preparation for possibly hurting the beautiful woman, Naruto, dressed as Maelstrom, bowed. "I hope the travel here wasn't too tedious."

"Have you trapped the area, by happenstance?" Ikaruga tittered, slowly unsheathing her _nodachi_. "Though I hoped for an even fight, it would make sense to counter our might."

The cloaked man shook his head. Snapping his fingers, a light blue, cylindrical barrier flickered into existence, trapping all four within the clearing. "I didn't trap the area, but I felt a bit of containment might be useful. None of us can leave until I bring down the barrier, which means you'll have to defeat me to leave. No running off to grab hostages or anything underhanded like that."

"We are the warriors of justice!" Fukurō declared. "We will not stoop to your level, criminal!"

"That's fine with me, we'll send you to hell anyway!" Vidaldus laughed maniacally, getting into his head-banging routine. "Prepare to die, Maelstrom!"

Vidaldus was first to attack, strumming his guitar. As he cackled and unleashed his magic, Naruto only stood there, completely unaffected. Baffled, Trinity Raven stared at their target, who returned their gazes unflinchingly. Then, Naruto sighed. "Look, it's pretty obvious this is a bad matchup. Can't you guys just quit?"

"How in the seven hells did you avoid my _Rock of Succubus_?" Vidaldus roared, strumming his guitar even more fiercely. Naruto could only shrug nonchalantly at his opponent. "I saw the guitar, and guessed your magic revolves around it. I'm sure one of you has researched my magic, and know that I use _Wind Magic_. How difficult do you think it is for a S-class _Wind Magic_ user to prevent sound from reaching him when he doesn't want it to? Sound uses air as a medium after all."

Vidaldus gritted his teeth in anger as he shifted his guitar to his back. Swinging his extremely long hair around, he maneuvered it towards Naruto's position. The hair cracked down, smashing the ground to bits as Naruto hopped into the air, avoiding the attack. This gave Fukurō an opening, as he crouched, and unleashed his rockets, flying towards Naruto with his hand cocked back. The owl-head shouted out some gibberish about justice as he tried to punch the midair Naruto, but failed as the blond somehow pulled reflexes most people could only dream of having, pushing against the top of Fukurō's fist and directing the man downwards while he somersaulted safely over the assassin.

Ikaruga swung her blade, too fast to be seen by most. A wave of fire emerged from her _nodachi_, hurtling towards Naruto. The man raised his left palm, and seemingly absorbed the entire wave, before Ikaruga's _Garuda Flame_ emerged from his right palm, flying straight at Vidaldus. The man paled, but relaxed when Ikaruga cancelled her own _Garuda Flame_ with another blast of magical fire. Fukurō circled the clearing once, before landing beside his teammates, visibly irked by Naruto dodging his _Jet Ho Ho Hou_. The cloaked man landed silently back where he first stood, completely unharmed.

Ikaruga's visage turned serious as she crouched slightly, slipping into a _kenjutsu_ stance. "Vidaldus, support. Fukurō, fly up top and wait for an opening."

The pink-haired woman flashed forwards, intent on cutting Naruto in twain. Her blade, bristling with magic, was able to cut down even the toughest of defences. When she unleashed her full prowess, she had never failed to cut down an opponent. No one could see her swordsmanship because of how fast she was. Hence, she was thoroughly surprised when a puff of smoke heralded a huge _zanbatō_ that managed to hold off her _katana_. The man in the navy cloak looked completely at ease wielding the ungainly blade as he shoved Ikaruga backwards with it, showing no visible signs of strain. Ikaruga regained her vigour and started a long combination of cuts and slashes guaranteed to kill her opponents, and yet Maelstrom didn't falter, countering her every move with a blade far bulkier and less maneuverable than hers.

She continued the barrage, and occupied Maelstrom as Vidaldus tried to at least disorientate their target with his _Guitar Magic_ fruitlessly. Fukurō had been forced to watch helplessly, his speed and skill no match for the two combatants dancing in a deadly tango of steel. Realizing it was useless to continue, Ikaruga ended her assault, jumping back to regroup. Naruto leaned _Kubikiribōchō_ on his shoulder casually, a broad smile on his shadowed face. He had been actively improving his _kenjutsu_ since he watched Erza practicing swordplay and rediscovered his childish desire to look cool. He didn't regret the decision; it was exhilarating to fight against someone of Ikaruga's caliber. Only with his _Sennin Mōdo_ did he have the speed and reflexes to cope with her skill

"That was fun," Naruto chirped. "Any more skills you guys would like to demonstrate?"

That was Trinity Raven's cue, as they all launched their attacks. Vidaldus swung his hair, and a torrent of water gushed from his locks, roaring towards Naruto. Fukurō jetted straight up, before doing a sharp turn and dived nose down at Naruto. He cocked his hand back, and gathered magic in his fist before he threw it forwards, unleashing a beam of energy. His _Judgement Hou_ was then combined with his _Missile Ho Ho Hou_, as he launched both rockets on his back at Naruto, the man tumbling to the ground. Ikaruga rode the waves, her _nodachi_ raised. With a loud cry, she performed an overhead swing, firing off a massive wave of near invisible energy that split the waves before her, making them crash into Naruto from two angles.

The resulting explosion from all the attacks colliding rocked the ground violently. The three assassins backed off, carefully surveying the cloud of debris that had been thrown up by their combination. It cleared suddenly by a gust of wind, revealing their enemy to be completely unharmed. He had a spinning dome of wind surrounding his body, the sharp whistling noise produced by the technique making Trinity Raven wince. The winds died down in a snap, and Maelstrom's cloak fluttered in the light breeze that followed behind.

"That was good," Naruto praised the trio, clapping sincerely. "I see how you gained your reputations. But now, it's my turn."

Naruto dashed forwards, his first target being Vidaldus. The man was too slow to react, unable to pull his guitar to parry Naruto's waist high swing of _Kubikiribōchō_. Ikaruga was there to save the day, needing the strength of both arms and all of her body weight to hold off Naruto's monstrous _Sennin Mōdo_ strength. Naruto kicked the _Sword Magic_ mage in the abdomen, her body bending nearly in half from the blow as she flew backwards, taking Vidaldus along for the ride. Naruto stabbed _Kubikiribōchō_ into the ground as he ducked, his sensory abilities telling him of Fukurō's presence behind him. Naruto kicked backwards, his foot caught by a large fist that threatened to crush it with an immense grip. As Fukurō tried to break Naruto's ankle, the _shinobi_ spun with Fukurō's twist, before blasting a jet of wind from his soles.

He landed on his back, watching as Fukurō careened through the air, before regaining some form of control with his reattached rockets. Flipping to his feet, Naruto aimed a palm at the onrushing torrent of liquid Vidaldus sent his way, before aiming the other palm at Fukurō. The owl-man hybrid tilted his head in confusion as Naruto acted as an intermediary, transferring all of Vidaldus' attack right at the flying assassin. Fukurō squawked as he flew around to dodge the jet of water, ended prematurely when his guitar-using teammate stopped the attack. The momentary distraction from her two partners gave Ikaruga the opening she needed, as her blade sliced Naruto's back, cutting through his cloak easily.

Naruto groaned loudly as a loud pop indicated his _Henge_ coming off. The sword had drawn a thin line of blood from left shoulder to right hip, but Naruto was otherwise unharmed. He had _Sennin Mōdo_ to thank for that; he would have been cut into two had it not been for his sage chakra. Naruto pirouetted, and Ikaruga responded, angling her blade to slice off Naruto's hand. As her _katana_ touched the man's gloved palm, it disappeared from the pink-haired assassin's grip, reappearing in Naruto's other hand. The blond took advantage of her momentary astonishment, summoning _Kubikiribōchō_ to hand. He began to spin, a veritable whirlwind of death as Ikaruga backed off, seething at the loss of her blade.

Senses wide open, Naruto estimated Fukurō's position. The man was preparing a _Judgement Hou_, now that Ikaruga was not in the way. Before the self-proclaimed warrior of justice could fire off twin beams of light from both fists, he was forced to cut power to his rockets, dropping down to avoid Ikaruga's _katana_ being flung like an arrow at him. The sword clattered against the barrier with a mighty clang, before falling to the ground. Ikaruga slid underneath the blade, catching it by the hilt. Trinity Raven regrouped once more, gathering their wits to figure out a way to defeat their adversary. Naruto, on the other hand, only sighed as he sealed _Kubikiribōchō_ back into the storage _fūin_ on his wrist. The assassins relaxed their guard slightly at the sight.

"Your valour is admirable, but your defeat was inevitable," Ikaruga sighed, a tinge of disappointment and relief in her voice. "Surrender is understandable, though I wish you were more able."

"Oh, no, I'm not surrendering," Naruto shook his head. "I've won."

Before Ikaruga could open her mouth to question Naruto's words, the blond disappeared from his location, instantly materializing before her face. She only felt the barest whisper of two fingers jabbing her neck, before she fell unconscious. The remaining two members of Trinity Raven had only begun to move when Naruto vanished once again, teleporting to Fukurō. The heavyset man was harder to knock out than his team leader, but the only member of Trinity Raven with reflexes to avoid Naruto's blows was Ikaruga. There was no neck to speak of, and hence no pressure points to hit. Naruto improvised, smashing a fist into the man's stomach, before pressing his palm to the owl head. His _Sleep Magic_ took over moments later, sending the man into a deep, dreamless slumber.

Vidaldus trembled, taking shaky steps backwards as Naruto approached him slowly. He didn't manage to plant any _Hiraishin_ seals on the rocker as he did Ikaruga and Fukurō when he kicked them, but he didn't need his father's trademark technique against Vidaldus. He had an overwhelming advantage over the _Guitar Magic_ user given his _Wind Magic_ proclivities. A quick _Shunshin_ later, the man was down on the ground, joining his teammates in unconsciousness.

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Yajima was pretty sure the Council was pleased with the current state of events. He had just received an urgent missive from Maelstrom; so urgent, the man appeared before him to personally hand him the letter. He had not spoken a word to prevent identification, but Yajima cared little for that now. For Makarov to praise him as an integral part of Fairy Tail he couldn't do without, Yajima had little wish to expose the man and destroy the status quo.

Bringing Maelstorm's message to the Magic Council in an emergency meeting, Yajima expressed a desire to aid the man against the assassins that were being sent after him. The rest of the Council shot that idea down immediately. Maelstrom was useful but expendable, and the Rune Knights were growing from strength to strength. There was no longer a pressing need for Maelstrom's services, especially since the man himself had made dark guilds less profitable and riskier ventures. The elimination of Maelstrom would bring some fear into the hearts of citizens, given how they adored the man who did so much good, but the Council hated the non-accountability of Maelstrom anyway. They were even pleased that the dark guilds would be the ones to attack Maelstrom; they didn't even have to dirty their hands and sully their reputation to imprison the man for his work as a vigilante.

Maelstrom himself didn't seem too concerned about the imminent assassination attempt (which the letter described as happening _right then_). He was more worried about his intelligence gathering efforts being undermined now that Tartaros discovered his deception. The Magic Council told Yajima to simply relieve Maelstrom of his current contracts to monitor the dark guilds. They had gathered more than enough invaluable evidence and information to launch attacks against the dark guilds, although they would not risk their necks in a war they knew they could lose. Realistically, they didn't have the power to counter any of the three big dark guilds of the Balam Alliance, let alone all of them and their subsidiaries. Even using _Etherion_ was not a guaranteed victory; two of the three leading dark guilds had less than ten core members that actually mattered, and were far more mobile than legal guilds and their fixed headquarters.

It was difficult not to blurt out Maelstrom's legal guild connections to try and convince the rest of the Council of the importance of preserving his life, but Yajima managed. Stowing his tongue, he decided to have faith in the man who so willingly shrouded himself literally and figuratively, all for the sake of his guild. The diminutive old man had no clue what drove Maelstrom to do all that work when he didn't need to, but he was glad for the man. Fiore had become a better place to live in by virtue of Maelstrom's presence, and many people could see the difference in their lives. Great men who were destined to help carry the weight of the world didn't die that easily; Yajima was sure of that.

Hence, he left a letter detailing the Council's plans for him on his desk, and left the room. It was noon when he did so; when he returned by nightfall, the letter was gone, replaced by a letter from Maelstrom expressing his gratitude towards Yajima's support.

Makarov's old teammate couldn't help but smile broadly.

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Ikaruga moaned as she awoke, her head throbbing painfully. Her eyes fluttered open, fully expecting to see herself seated in a dark, dank cell at any one of the mage prisons of Fiore. Instead, she was completely unbound, her back leaning against the rough bark of a tree. Her _nodachi_ sat beside her, sheathed and pristine. Flanking her were the other members of Trinity Raven, both of them still unconscious. Fukurō hooted softly just as Vidaldus' head lolled to the side, the dark-haired mage snoring loudly. Ikaruga palmed her face in embarrassment. Correction: her teammates weren't unconscious; they were _asleep_.

As she cast her gaze forwards, she could see the entire clearing they were fighting in before her. Seated in the middle of the empty circle was their target, legs crossed in the lotus position. He looked to be deep in meditation, unaware of the world around him. Looking over herself, she noticed that beyond the dirt that was smeared on her _kimono_ from the fight, she was relatively intact. There were parts of her body that ached slightly and would bruise by morning, but there was nothing that would call for a healer's attention. _Our levels of strength are as far apart as heaven and hell,_ she thought, her hand squeezing the sheath of her _katana_ tightly. _Indeed, he deserves the fame he garnered._

"You're awake, I see," Maelstrom spoke, his eyes still shut. "You are not too injured, I hope?"

"N-No," the woman stuttered, startled at the man's apparent omniscience. "Nothing a warrior cannot endure."

"Good. I was afraid of hurting you too much," the man sighed, his eyes snapping open. His hood cast a light shadow over his face, but Ikaruga could see the bright, almost glowing blue eyes that met her gaze. "My master was a connoisseur of women, and he would be rather cross at me if I marred your beautiful body."

"I am a warrior, not a princess," the woman huffed indignantly, a light blush dusting her cheeks.

The cloaked man chuckled throatily, his voice warm and inviting. "Indeed you are. I shall remember our battle for a long while yet. But that does not mean you are not a beautiful young woman. I think killing one as radiant as yourself will be quite the regretful endeavour for me."

"A compliment borne from sincerity is worth a thousand hollow flatteries," Ikaruga smiled, inclining her head gracefully.

"Not so much a compliment as the truth," the _Wind Magic_ mage replied easily. Withdrawing a scroll from his sleeve, he unfurled it and shaped his hands into various symbols Ikaruga didn't recognize. A small puff of smoke covered the top of the scroll, and when it cleared, she was greeted with a low table and set of china. There seemed to be already steaming hot tea within the traditional teapot, as the man poured the liquid into two cups. He gestured for the _kimono_-clad woman to join him at the table. "I am uneducated in the ways of _chadō_, but I do know some good tea. Please."

A quick consideration of her situation told her that there was nothing to lose from accepting his tea. He wouldn't have poisoned it, not when he could have just slit their throats before they woke up. It would also be rude to refuse the offer. Nodding in assent, she made her way to the middle of the clearing, sitting in _seiza_ across her target. She murmured a work of thanks as she sipped the tea, surprised by the richness of the flavour. While flavoursome, it was a soothing taste that caressed her taste buds, not overwhelming like some Western drinks she had the opportunity to taste. While she was not too picky about her beverages, she could appreciate a good tea

"I shall cut the chase here," the man remarked, sipping his tea slowly. "I wish to hire Trinity Raven."

"Oh?" Ikaruga hummed, intrigued.

Maelstrom let out a few chuckles. "Is that surprising? Do you truly believe I am that sort of man that looks down upon your work? I was raised differently from the mages of this world. While I am practically a legal mage here, I am of the opinion that working in the shadows can be far more effective. I stopped killing a long time ago, but I believe you know the reason for your mission, yes? I do more than just dabble in the dirtier aspects of our world. I revel in it."

"To falsify your identity and fit seamlessly into one of the three strongest dark guilds speaks volumes of your skill," Ikaruga commented. "But it tells me nothing of your inclinations or methods of accomplishing your goals, Maelstrom-dono."

"Perhaps, but in any case, now that Tartaros has caught wind of my activities, it will be near impossible to continue my espionage work," the hooded man said, leaning his head forwards. "This is where Trinity Raven comes in."

"Even one of the shadows can possess honour and dignity," she spoke darkly, her eyes flashing in muted anger. "Do not presume we can be swayed by the mere promise of money."

Maelstrom leaned back, peals of laughter shaking his lean frame. Puzzled, Ikaruga stared as the man chortled with all the cheer of a carefree child. "A true swordswoman indeed. Your loyalty to your guild in unquestionable, despite the less tasteful work you do. You have been with Death's Head Caucus since its inception, yes? And your first lover is the guild master, Hattori Karasu, correct?"

A gleaming blade was tickling Maelstrom's chin before he could blink, the woman before him trembling with ire. "Do not speak of his name so casually, Maelstrom-dono. You know nothing of our relationship, and that should remain so."

"But I do know of his affairs, of your neglect, of your increasing despair at the broken love," Maelstrom whispered, pressing his throat against the sword as he leaned forwards. Ikaruga looked furious, but didn't speak a word as the truth tumbled out of Maelstrom's mouth. "Hate and love is such a fine line, but your loyalty to him is absolute, no? No matter how much you believe he should be punished for his indiscretions, no matter how much you believe you hate him…you still harbour feelings for him. That's why you won't betray him for me."

"And if you know me so well, why make this offer to me?" Ikaruga asked, her rage evaporating like the morning dew. "Why draw my ire so readily?"

"Because I am not asking you to provide me intelligence on Death's Head Caucus," the navy-cloaked man pushed the tip of her _katana_ aside with his finger. "Your guild doesn't do anything but assassinations. There's no strategy, no ambition, no goal. I don't need to know of your activities, because they only involve men whom other men want dead. I care for a far bigger picture. No, I want to know what other dark guilds do, what they wish to do, and what they can do. Your guild is safe from my interventions."

"An intriguing offer, from an intriguing man," Ikaruga smiled, almost predatorily as she sheathed her blade. "But even a gentleman must give guarantees."

Maelstrom fell silent for a moment, before he let out another throaty chuckle. "If I were any less informed, I would have been thoroughly fooled. Your acting is top-notch. How did you know I was testing you?"

"A man of your caliber cannot possibly be as ill informed as you pretended to be," Ikaruga giggled, hiding her lips behind her sleeve. "My admiration for you has risen to another level, Maelstrom-dono. To go through such a thorough examination for a simple mission brings me great faith in your leadership."

"Your slaying of Hattori and his many lovers was quite the story in underground circles," Maelstrom remarked, downing the rest of his tea in one gulp. "A jilted lover and her revenge is nothing to scoff at. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, right?"

"Maelstrom-dono has learnt the lesson Hattori never did," the pink-haired swordswoman tittered, pouring tea for Maelstrom. "A toast is in order, Master."

The two clinked cups, and swallowed their cooling tea in one mouthful. Smacking his lips in appreciation, Maelstrom leaned his elbows on the table as he placed his fingers in a steeple. "So, shall we discuss terms of employment, then?"

"Of course," the pink-haired assassin nodded.

"You may continue your regular activities as Death's Head Caucus. That I have no real issues with," Maelstrom began. "Perhaps you can be a bit more selective as to the type of people you assassinate, but I don't care either way. Now, all I need is information about the other dark guilds, and perhaps some of your employers. You may tell Tartaros that I will be no threat to them for now, and I know their predictions of my actions will be similar. Trinity Raven's survival will be my olive branch, one which they will take with only the mildest of suspicions."

"Your actions will be under scrutiny for some time, but as I said, you can continue your various missions without fear of my disapproval," Maelstrom continued. "That should deflect their eyes off Death's Head Caucus easily enough. Beyond that, I cannot say what I may ask of you, but rest assured, it will pose little danger to you or your guild. In return, I can provide some measure of protection for your guild should the Council turn their attentions to you. Of course, I will also provide funds for the regular operations, but the prices can be negotiated at a later date."

"That is a far more attractive offer than that of Tartaros, who have provided nothing but non-aggression and irregular employment," Ikaruga remarked, placing her folded arms on the table and casually leaning her bosom against them, enhancing her prodigious cleavage. "We do not need the money, so in exchange, may I have the honour of knowing your true name and face, Maelstrom-dono?"

"I suppose my offer will be declined if I do not accept?" Maelstrom said teasingly, hand already clasping the edge of his hood. At Ikaruga's sly wink, he shook his head in amusement as he threw his hood back, revealing a map of striking blond hair and deep cerulean eyes. Tugging his facemask down, he unveiled a roguishly handsome face, with three whisker marks adorning each cheek. A disarming smile was perched on his lips as he spoke once more. "You know, you are one of only four people to have seen my real face in this world. Uzumaki Naruto, at your service."

"So Maelstrom is your real name, just in a different form," Ikaruga laughed in mirth. "What a mischievous and marvelous disguise you have created, Naruto-sama. I must say, however, I am astonished at your willingness to reveal your true features to me. Is there a reason for that?"

"I hide this face from everyone in the light, for fear of their safety," Naruto smiled wistfully. "But you and I, we belong in the dark. Your fate is now intertwined with mine, and your betrayal will be as good as your death, be it at the hands of others or mine. There is no pressing need to hide my looks from you. Plus, a bit of trust can go a long way for people who dabble in the dark, no? If our roles were inverted, I would be far more willing to work for you should you show me your faith in my abilities and my loyalty in this manner, even if it is a little impractical and silly."

"You have an understanding of my thoughts and ways that would inject much fear in me, if I were not working for you now," Ikaruga stood up, ready to leave. "Thank you for the tea and the generous terms of employment. I look forward to our next meeting, Naruto-sama."

Naruto stood up as well, a hand outstretched for a handshake. Ikaruga reached out as well, but instead of grasping his hand, she grabbed his wrist while her other hand reached for the back of his head. Stunned, Naruto couldn't react as she placed his large, calloused hand on her voluptuous chest while her luscious red lips met his for a sensuous kiss. She let go after a moment, licking her lips as she savoured the feeling of victory. She sashayed towards her sleeping teammates, making sure to sway her generous hips hypnotically as she grabbed her comrades and disappeared in a swirl of _sakura_ petals. The blond man groaned as he tried to wrap his mind around that farewell, his mind unwittingly replaying Makarov's jibes about his lack of a girlfriend.

_Does she like…that can't be right, this is our first meeting…but why would she…is she just teasing? But she…_

_Good lord, what I would do for some top-notch girl advice right about NOW._


	8. Chapter 7: Mirajane

**Author's Notes:** Welcome to chapter 7, the last chapter before canon begins! Finally we get to see our dear Mira-chan! This was one of the harder chapters for me to write, because firstly, I have little clue on how romance works, let alone for messed up people like Naruto (and a _tsundere_ Mirajane). Secondly, the words just didn't flow properly despite the concrete idea I had in mind. I hope this doesn't disappoint too much!

I realised my review answers are getting longer. That's a good sign, right? No? Oh well, at least I can boost my word count :P

_Fuyuriku: _Thanks for pointing out that typo! I hate typos, but it's nigh impossible to find every last one of them. It's worse when it's your own story; since it's your own work, you tend to be less precise when screening through the text for errors. As for the Madara idea...I think I'll be simultaneously impressed and aggrieved if the story went that way. I can't even put myself through that kind of torture, so I think it's a no go. Although, that does prompt ideas...

_Dragonking20: _Ah, Cana's still the same really, just with a better understanding of her cards and maybe a few more combination tricks, that's all. I didn't have any inspiration for how the S-class trials for anyone would go (Laxus, Erza, Mira, Mystogan), and who would actually attend the trials (given the dearth of talented mages before Natsu's generation). Remember Jose got pissed because Fairy Tail rose from nowhere? That's due to those new S-class mages. So those that came before them, the older generation, I don't think they'll be ready for S-class trials, which means a lame one person trial? Yea, that was a conundrum I couldn't solve, so I left it as it was.

_Payokumbuah:_ I understand your concerns, but love means compromise, right? And if you read the recent canon chapters, Mirajane actually tells the palace executioner that she doesn't like to show her power in front of others because she abhors killing, but when she's alone, she's not afraid to unleash everything to do what's necessary. So she'll probably understand his modus operandi. Of course, that's after she regains her powers, but her beliefs probably won't have changed that much since Lisanna's 'death'.

That's an interesting idea about Kurama, but I'll have to work around the problem of his niceness (after Naruto made him do a 180...ugh), and his power (which is so ridiculously high there won't be an Edolas left IMO). Thankfully, I haven't written up to Edolas yet, so there's room for manoeuvring. But it'll take some planning if I actually try it. Thanks for the idea though!

_TheAFGNCAAP: _Yea, I thought it might be funny to see Naruto flustered. Ikaruga's flirting is mainly for amusement, even though I was angling for a more serious approach to their work/play relationship at the beginning. That's not to say I won't make her a Lyon to Naruto's Juvia (and by proxy, Mira is Edolas Gray). I have some hazy plans for that, but it'll be some time down the line before we reach such interactions. Like, pre-Magic Games or something.

_Alter Avans: _Mm, yea, but I have no clue what plans Hiro Mashima has for Zeref/Acnologia. I always liked stories where people take canon circumstances into consideration, and expand from there using the butterfly effect. My story is nowhere near that level; it's more of Naruto being the cause of unexplained things in canon. So I'm not sure how a regular Kurama would work. I'd hate to invent an overblown über OC as Kurama's nemesis. I could downsize him of course; the usual chakra-got-used-up-in-transference stuff. Guardian of Tenrō Island sounds fantastic, although he'll blow Grimoire Heart to smithereens before they can even attack. Maybe I'll do something during the seven year timeskip...

As for Naruto's power levels, I've tried keeping him to Wizard Saint levels by canon. Meaning Gildarts (whom he'll beat), Makarov (lose), Jose Porla (draw/Pyrrhic victory). He'll have no way of fighting Zeref properly, and Jura is a notch below. Not sure about Jellal; will probably class him below Naruto. The members of Oración Seis and Grimoire Heart should pose little trouble (given how one-dimensional all mages are), though Hades and Zero should beat him.

_Flamency mobile: _Ah, it's not that I have no problem with Wakaba's flirting, it's that it's _canon_. In chapter 2, when Lucy enters Fairy Tail, it's shown that _Wakaba already thinks of Mira as a grown up._ That's the point I'm referring to; if someone who watched Mira grow up has no trouble viewing her as a woman later, what's to say Naruto can't see things the same way? Especially as Naruto will probably be plagued by his libido. I'm using canon standards as a guide on whether it's possible for Naruto to see Mira as a woman, and not as his insufferable niece (pre-Lisanna-'death').

_For those who want more Naruto/Cana interaction: _I actually didn't plan for more, because Cana sees Naruto as a brother/Gildarts replacement after a while. So jealousy over his 'relationship' with Mira will be at a minimum, and when you're a teenager, you tend to get a little distant from your siblings to get some personal space (that's my impression, at least). That'll be especially true if the sibling is overprotective, like Naruto is (off-screen). There'll be snippets of Naruto/Mystogan interactions though.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto or Fairy Tail.

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**Chapter 7: Mirajane (X781-X782)**

Macao and Wakaba giggled like a bunch of schoolboys watching porn as they discussed the latest beautiful cover models of Sorcerer Magazine. Naruto was tempted to tell them to stop their discussion, so as to not appear as pedophiles given their ages compared to the female mages featured in the magazine; but he would be rather hypocritical if he did so. With a more than healthy appreciation for the female body, Naruto was sorely tempted to join his drinking buddies in staring at the models in the magazine. Thankfully, he had far better control. He would peer at the girls when he was in the privacy of his own home, while Cana was out on a mission or something.

Unbidden thoughts of a certain subordinate he recruited two years ago made him feel more than a bit hot under the collar. The irascibly lecherous woman (as Naruto would like to think) had attached plenty of suggestive pictures in her reports to him. He still wasn't too sure what her motives were, but seeing as he didn't have a girlfriend anyway, it wasn't something he found himself worrying over too much. He was just a healthy young man appreciating a naturally beautiful specimen of the female kind, that's all. He consoled himself with the fact that he caught Mystogan drooling over those very same pictures as well. The embarrassed teen hadn't been caught doing it since.

He honestly hoped that as he grew older, he wouldn't become as hopelessly perverted as Makarov was; using his _Titan Magic_ to stretch his arms where no one would expect them, and pinching young girls' butts was just cringe worthy. And on cue, the perverted old man was given a loud smack to the head, courtesy of the easily agitated Mirajane. She had just managed to reach S-class on the recent promotion trials, and she was busy flaunting her new status to everyone else. Natsu, fired up as ever, had already been beaten down four times in the past two hours of loud merrymaking and celebrations. Lisanna and Elfman were more subdued; happy for their sister, but still rather exasperated at her grating behaviour.

As Mirajane and self-appointed guild disciplinarian Erza began to butt heads over her rowdy mood, Naruto slipped away from Macao and Wakaba, the duo now talking about what they wished to do to the cover girls in far too much detail for Naruto to stand. He ducked under a flying mug of beer, hopped over a naked Gray (who had just been kicked away by a visibly tipsy and red-faced Cana), and sat down beside Lisanna, who greeted him cheerfully. Elfman did so similarly, the growing young man's intimidating build a huge contrast to his timid and sweet personality. Naruto ruffled Lisanna's hair, eliciting a pout from the girl even as she snuggled Kurama against her.

The fox had found new refuge in the animal lover's arms, after Cana outgrew him. That girl was practically one of the guys, with the way she could drink most of the guild under the table. Naruto and Gildarts were the only ones she hadn't managed to defeat in a drinking contest yet, and she proclaimed she would train her alcohol tolerance until she could finally defeat her Ráfa-nii. It was something Naruto had given up on convincing her not to do, just like her extremely provocative way of dressing. He had to beat off plenty of suitors who showed up at their door, which Cana still didn't know about. None of the suitors dared said a thing anyway; being restrained by chains in uncomfortable and too-similar-to-bondage styles was not something guys liked to announce to the world.

Kurama raised his haead to yip a half-hearted greeting at Naruto, before he nuzzled against Lisanna once more. Naruto swore every male in the bloody guild was a pervert, even the damn fox. Grumbling under his breath (_C'mon, bros before hoes, Kurama!_), he gestured at the brawling Erza and Mirajane. "They're even more lively today, huh?"

Ducking under a blast of flames from Natsu, Lisanna laughed. "Mira-nee is just proud of her achievement. Everyone is happy for her too."

"It's something to be proud of, reaching S-class so young," Naruto remarked, sighing theatrically. "I wish I was that strong, but alas, I'm just an old man whom people call a pervert thanks to my _Chain Magic_. Seriously, I don't do _shibari_, you perverted bastards!"

He swiped something off the table, and hurled it at Macao and Makarov, the half-empty beer flagons hitting the two men on their heads accurately. Nodding in satisfaction, he turned his cerulean gaze back to a blushing Elfman and a contemplative Lisanna. She had a weird glint in her eyes, which Naruto took to mean more trouble for Natsu. Honestly, the youngest Strauss's mind scared him more than an invasion of S-class mages. "I don't think I will enjoy that, but I'm not so sure about Mira-nee. I think she probably likes the idea of _shibari_."

"W-What!" Naruto spluttered, flabbergasted. _What on earth? Why is Lisanna telling me about Mirajane's sexual fetishes for crying out loud? _Lisanna smiled cheekily, before puckering her lips at Naruto, making loud kissing noises. "You didn't know, Ráfaga-niichan? Mira-nee has a crush on you!"

"Are you serious?" Naruto sweated profusely, already mentally cataloguing the exits that weren't blocked by some brawl. "Mirajane? The Demon, Mirajane?"

"I don't know if you read Sorcerer Magazine cover to cover, but you are fifth on the 'Mage you want to have as your boyfriend' list. Loke is first, but that's because everyone knows he's good looking. You're literally the mysterious and cool type that drives women crazy," Lisanna explained with a straight face. "Mira-nee has been eyeing you since we entered Fairy Tail. Macao-ojichan was the older male figure most of us girls had a crush on, but you took over his role quite some time ago."

Naruto wondered what the Strauss parents really taught their children; Mirajane was a violent tomboy dressed like a gothic Lolita and Lisanna was too damn open when it came to sexual matters. Only Elfman seemed anywhere near normal, but his growing philosophy about being manly was a harbinger of worse things to come. Shuddering as he dimly recalled two Youth-obsessed individuals back in the Elemental Countries, he knocked Lisanna on the head gently. "Don't talk about such things so casually! You're not even of age!"

"Don't look down on me because I'm young, Ráfaga-niichan!" Lisanna pouted childishly. "I know lots about sex!"

Before Naruto could reply to that ridiculous retort, he was treated to a foot to his face by none other than Mirajane. The girl was understandably furious, a dark aura springing up around her as she glared murderously at Naruto's back, the man now embedded into the walls of the guild. "You _shibari_ pervert! Don't you dare touch Lisanna!"

"Nonsense, Mira-nee. I'm going to be Natsu's wife, and Ráfaga-niichan respects my choice," Lisanna scolded her sister, earning a few chortles from guild members at Natsu's panicked expression. "You're the one who wants to get tied up and ravished by Ráfaga-niichan. Don't think I don't know about your-mmmph!"

Mirajane clapped a hand over Lisanna's mouth, looking decidedly nervous. Judging from the curious (and perverted) gazes from the male population in the hall, her magical power exploded around her as she screamed in anger. "Don't you people dare judge me!"

"I knew all that leather had to mean something…" Wakaba whispered to Macao, his dark-haired friend nodding solemnly in agreement. "She didn't even deny the accusation…"

In response, Mirajane punched both of them in the nose, and that began another huge brawl. Lisanna walked over to Naruto, prodding his unmoving form still stuck face-first in the wall. Kurama bit his ass cheek painfully, causing the blond man to hop out of the human-shaped hole with a loud yelp. Lisanna giggled as Naruto chased Kurama around the place, then got himself dragged into the fight by jealous men who wanted to learn his _shibari_ secrets and why he was so popular with girls even though he didn't even show his face.

Outside the noisy guild, on the second storey, a masked man watched his fellow guild mates with fond exasperation. He didn't move when another man appeared out of thin air beside him. "One day, you really should let me go to Edolas with you, and confront your father. We'll also deal with Earthland Jellal, who definitely isn't up to much good. Then you don't have to be so mysterious about things."

"You are one to speak, Naruto-_sensei_," Mystogan retorted, shooting a knowing glance at his teacher. Down in the lunch hall, another Naruto was still fighting his fellow guild mates. Naruto shrugged. "The less they know, the better. I'm far deeper into my business than you ever will be, and my business is far less acceptable than yours too. You should know that very well."

"You mean your association with Death's Head Caucus, a dark guild famed for their success at assassination missions?" Mystogan said dryly. "Of all people, I never thought you'd condone such actions. You have always been about the safety of the innocent."

"Which is why I told Hato-chan to be more picky about her targets," Naruto rolled his eyes. "And the only reason you know of my connections with them is because you were looking for _Icha Icha_ in my room, and found Hato-chan's sexy pictures, you little pervert."

"Using pet names already…you're not having a sexual relationship with her, are you?" Mystogan queried. "I think many women will be quite upset if that is the case."

"No, Mystogan. She forced me to use that pet name," Naruto groaned, slapping his forehead. "How many times must I tell you? She's just flirting."

"Which adequately explains the last picture you got, where she's nude and hugging a handmade, life-sized doll remarkably similar in looks to you," Mystogan responded wryly, his face heating up beneath his cloth mask as he recalled that particular picture. "That's a bit extreme for flirting, Naruto-_sensei_."

The blond man declined to register a riposte; he was too busy remembering that very picture himself. Clearing his throat awkwardly, Naruto patted his student on the shoulder. "Well, I got to go. I got some work to do. As usual, you know where I put the _Icha Icha_."

Mystogan nodded tersely as his _sensei_ disappeared in a storm of leaves. His serious visage was completely at odds with his thoughts however.

_Icha Icha!_

And people said Naruto had a talent for changing people for the better.

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Mirajane Strauss was on a mission. It was a self-imposed one, resulting from a rather loud argument with her younger sibling Lisanna. The brawl resulting from Lisanna blurting out to the whole of Fairy Tail about her crush went a long way to dispel anyone's notions of teasing Mirajane about it, but the girl didn't approve of her sister revealing it before she could confess. The youngest sibling of the Take Over Trio was not in the mood to back down, challenging Mirajane to actually muster up the courage she so often displayed on missions, and confess to Ráfaga. Being the obstinate and headstrong girl she was, Mirajane immediately accepted the challenge, and was now out looking for Ráfaga, who was so far proving rather elusive.

Cana had no clue where her adoptive brother went, but she did have some bits of advice for the ivory-haired girl. Ráfaga's likes included ramen, orange and an unhealthy obsession with weapons that bordered on Erza-like levels. Needless to say, Mirajane thought the man was preparing for war when she saw what was stashed away in Ráfaga and Cana's attic. He also had a tendency to go missing at times, which Cana believed was to meet some woman. That soured the conversation immediately, and Mirajane stalked off, intent on shaking Ráfaga for answers about his relationships or, as he proclaimed, lack thereof.

There was also the lingering question about sexual preferences and fetishes. Mirajane wasn't too keen on that one even if it seemed necessary; while many guys teased Ráfaga about being a _shibari_ expert, Mirajane didn't think he was the type. He always seemed rather nervous when the topic came to sex, and even the most vanilla of sexual advances left him stammering (or so she noticed through her haze of jealousy whenever some harlot put their filthy hands on him). But who knew? There was that saying about shy people and wild bedroom behaviour…

Wiping her nose of the barest hints of blood, Mirajane focused her mind, hoping to find Ráfaga through sensing his magical signature. It was a skill reserved for those really attuned to magic, and so far she had never succeeded. When her unrefined senses refused to give her any answers, she stomped her foot in frustration. Then, as she looked up, she caught sight of a crimson coat swishing around a corner on the street she was on. She was about to shout out for the golden-haired man, but she hesitated. _Might as well see what he's up to. It's not stalking, just…reconnaissance. Yea, reconnaissance._

_Transformation_ came easily for the girl, as she turned into a nondescript brunette, dressed in a conservative knee-length dress. Prancing through the streets, she pretended to be a cheerful little girl, making sure to suppress her magical power as much as possible. It was almost painful, having to act all cute and cheery, but it was all for the sake of knowing more about Ráfaga, she reasoned. Tailing him was only mildly difficult, as the man maneuvered through the semi-busy streets of Magnolia Town. It wasn't too crowded that Mirajane would lose track of him, but not too deserted that Ráfaga would immediately notice her presence. Twilight was descending upon them though, and Mirajane was thankful Ráfaga stepped into a building. She didn't think she'd be able to continue following him as the streets darkened.

Following him into a tavern, she smiled sweetly at the waiter who served her some water while she surreptitiously watched the man from the corner of her eye. Ráfaga entered the washroom, and Mirajane waited impatiently as he didn't reappear for a while. Frowning, she cast her eyes around the room, and they landed on the most suspicious man in the tavern, a hooded man dressed in a full-body black cloak. He had just exited the bathroom, and Mirajane wondered if he and Ráfaga had any connection. Then, another man entered the tavern, this time clothed in a forest brown travelling cloak. He joined the black-cloaked man at the bar, and they spoke for a bit. While the tavern was noisy, Mirajane was able to pick out some key words, words that shook the girl. He then handed the black-cloaked man a piece of paper, which the man kept in his cloak subtly.

The brown-cloaked man left almost immediately after, leaving the black-cloaked man to nurse his drink. Mirajane was itching to confront the man, but she knew that any man who talked about Tartaros was dangerous, maybe even too dangerous for her to take on. He left the bar area once he finished his flagon of beer, and headed to the bathroom once more. Once his back disappeared past the doors of the washroom, Mirajane stood up, leaving as quickly as she could without being too conspicuous. Slipping into an alley, she quickly transformed herself into a bird, flying up to the rooftop of the building opposite the tavern, with a clear view of the tavern's doors. She transformed herself back, watching the doors anxiously.

A short wait later, Ráfaga stepped out of the tavern, stretching his arms into air. As he strolled in the opposite direction of his home, Mirajane noticed him fishing in his coat for something. She couldn't suppress a gasp as he retrieved the very same piece of paper the black-cloaked man was handed earlier. Left in a daze, Mirajane slumped to the ground in complete disbelief. _Is he a traitor, a spy for Tartaros? Why would he do that? He loves Fairy Tail! How long as he been spying on us? What does he want? Oh no, Cana!_

Her mind in turmoil, she slipped into another _Transformation_, taking off into the skies in hopes of reaching Cana before she was harmed in any way. She may have been brutish, aggressive and brash in her treatment of her guild mates, but she was Fairy Tail, and they were family. She bit her lip, hoping she was wrong about her assumptions.

_Master would have answers. He knows everything._

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"Tartaros is stepping up their collection of Zeref's artifacts," Naruto reported to Makarov. "They haven't had much success, but they have one or two in their possession already. They've instructed some of their subordinate guilds to drop their missions and go treasure hunting full time."

"Honestly, I don't know how you get this sort of intelligence," Makarov shook his head, taking the piece of paper Naruto held out for him to examine the message. "I presume you'll be informing Yajima as Maelstrom then? Or do you want me to do it this time?"

"You haven't been talking much with your old friend recently, from what I hear. You ought to be thanking him personally for protecting Fairy Tail's reputation in front of the Council, you know," Naruto remarked, leaning back into Makarov's couch lazily. "You can do it. It's your choice whether you want to tell him it's from Maelstrom or not. I don't particularly care now."

"Now that the Council stopped hiring you regularly for missions, you've become quite slack, haven't you?" Makarov grinned knowingly, hopping into the seat across Naruto. "Yajima told me that Maelstrom has been less and less involved in Fiore's affairs now, and his influence is shrinking. Found a girl somewhere, did you?"

"Tch, perverted old man. Are pretty girls the only thing on your mind? I didn't find a girl, though I do have a female subordinate who's probably as perverted as you," Naruto retorted coolly. "As for my waning influence, the Rune Knights are doing a good job now, so they don't need me for anything but my spying skills. I had to give up my infiltrations a few years ago too, so now I'm relying mostly on informants. Hence the minimal workload."

"Even so, they have been considering you as a candidate for the Wizard Saints, or even the Council itself," Makarov pointed out. "The only reason why they've dithered on the decision for so long is because of your anonymity. They don't know who you are, where you came from and they feel insecure. That's why they chose those two youngsters instead of you."

"Meh, I don't care for all that," Naruto waved his hand in a dismissive gesture. Makarov snickered evilly. "Probably, since you'll have your hands occupied with _Hato-chan_, eh?"

"Huh?" Naruto blinked, befuddled.

Makarov grinned perversely as he held out the note. "Someone used a basic _Letter Re-Arranging_ spell on the paper. It activated just in time for me to see. It's a rather personal letter from, ahem, _Hato-chan_. Really, you call your girlfriend 'little dove'? I never thought you were the cheesy, romantic type."

Snatching the piece of paper from Makarov, Naruto snorted as he crumpled the note, stuffing it back into his coat. "She's the perverted subordinate I'm talking about. She forced that pet name on me, I swear. It's just that her name contains the word 'dove', and she thought it'd be funny to tease me by calling herself my 'dove'. I have bad memories associated with the other _kanji_ in her name, so I just sort of got used to it, that's all! I don't like her or anything, even though she's super hot and…I'm not making this easier for myself, am I?"

Makarov could only shake his head in great amusement, as his guild member slumped further into his seat. "Now, now, it's okay for a young man like you to be attracted to women. Lord knows how many girls I've lusted for back in my day…and Gildarts, what a player, even at his age! I'm envious of you youngsters!"

"You're incorrigible, old man," Naruto groaned.

As the Wizard Saint prepared another retort, his door was knocked on rather frantically. Staring at the clock that read it was midnight, Makarov didn't bother getting off his seat, merely stretching his hand over to the door to open it. He knew who was behind that door, and while Naruto could sense other people's presences, he couldn't do it as well as Makarov, and certainly not without _Sennin Mōdo_. Hence, the Fairy Tail guild master could only attempt to hide his smile as the people at the door were revealed to be Mirajane, dragging in her hands a sleepy Cana. Naruto froze in his seat, momentarily unable to think his way out of the situation. _It can only be good for him,_ Makarov mused, as the two teenage girls stared at Makarov and Naruto in astonishment.

"Master, stay away from him!" Mirajane yelled, pushing Cana behind her small back as she inched into the Dreyar household. Makarov thanked the heavens Laxus was away on a mission, or things might have gotten dicey. "He's dangerous! I heard him talking to someone under a _Transformation_ about Tartaros, the dark guild!"

Cana's sleepiness was banished almost immediately at those words, and she tore her hand out of Mirajane's grip. "Don't accuse Ráfa-nii of such things! He's a loyal Fairy Tail member!"

"So you're the one following me today," Naruto moaned, putting his head in his hands. "I should have been more careful, but _noo_, it's Magnolia Town, it's safe…what an idiot. Old man, you might as well stage my death now. I'm useless at my job."

"That's okay, it's normal for you to feel at ease in your own hometown," Makarov comforted, before flashing the two young mages a reassuring smile. "Now, Mira-chan, what did you see, and what do you think is happening right now? And close the door, would you, Cana-chan?"

"I followed Ráfaga, and then he went into this tavern, and did a _Transformation_ in the bathroom. He talked to this seedy guy, and got a message from him. I overheard them, and Tartaros was mentioned. I wasn't sure it was him at first, but when he left the tavern, he was holding the exact same piece of paper," Mirajane explained hurriedly. "He must be some sort of spy or assassin, receiving orders to kill you, Master!"

"Your cover blown by a teenage girl," Makarov teased Naruto, who only groaned in response. "You're really losing your touch, Naruto."

"Naruto?" Cana and Mirajane said simultaneously.

Makarov giggled, before nudging Naruto. The man looked defeated, resigned to his failure as an espionage expert. "Should I explain everything?"

"If you want their trust back, yes," Makarov answered helpfully.

Naruto cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable with the situation. "Okay, well, thing is, my real name is Uzumaki Naruto. I'm from another dimension, one of warfare and death. I somehow ended up in Fiore, and became a member of Fairy Tail. I offered my spying skills to the old man here, and I've been working as a double agent in many dark guilds over the years. I'm sure both of you have heard of Maelstrom?"

The two girls nodded hesitantly. Naruto sighed in resignation. "That's me. I also have two more identities right now, but I won't reveal those because they are still ongoing infiltration missions, and this cannot leak out. Fairy Tail could be in danger if it does. I've mostly pulled out of doing the espionage work myself. Nowadays, I'm only receiving intelligence from various informants I have in dark guilds, one of which includes a subordinate guild of Tartaros. The person who handed me that note is a member of Death's Head Caucus, and he was giving me a report on Tartaros' activities. That's why I'm here at Makarov's house so late at night, to report to him about the information I just received."

"I knew it!" Cana punched her open palm triumphantly. "I knew you were hiding your skills!"

"M-Maelstrom?" Mirajane stammered. "But Maelstrom uses _Wind Magic_! He's a powerful S-class mage who takes down entire dark guilds solo! You can't even do a basic _Transformation_ properly!"

"Thing is, when you want to lie about how good you are, it's easier to hide what you have than to embellish what you don't," Naruto replied matter-of-factly. "The old man here can vouch for me, as can Porlyusica-san and Gildarts. Mystogan knows as well, but that's because he's my student."

"You teach Mystogan?" Mirajane gaped, as Cana whined petulantly. "What? That's so unfair! He's practically S-class already, train me instead!"

"Erm, Cana?" Naruto ventured, earning a bright smile from the teen. "Yep?"

"Don't you care that I've been basically lying to you since I joined?" Naruto asked, wincing at the way he put it out so bluntly. Instead of the rage he had initially expected from the _Card Magic_ wielder, however, she merely put her fists on her hips, frowning chidingly. "Do you have so little faith in me, Ráfa-nii? I knew you were hiding things since I was old enough to understand that thirteen digit sums in your bank account is very fishy for a B-class mage who doesn't do anything above B-ranks, and not regularly at that. I just didn't know you were so cool behind your _shibari_ antics."

Naruto spluttered at the bondage reference once again, while Makarov clutched his stomach as he erupted into peals of laughter. Mirajane was the only one who seemed at all concerned about the situation, and she burst into a rant when Makarov's laughter finally got too much for her. "Wait! Why do all this? Why lie to us? Why do all of you trust him when he has been hiding so much about himself?!"

"Mira-chan, I've been relying on Naruto's services since he entered the guild," Makarov answered, hopping off his seat to stand before the confused Mirajane. "And you know very well Maelstrom has never been anything but good to Fiore. He hides all these things because he doesn't want to bring trouble to Fairy Tail."

"Mirajane, a few years ago, when I just began my work as Maelstrom, there were a few people who thought it'll be cool to pretend to be Maelstrom," Naruto spoke, his voice filled with remorse. "One of these copycats was brutally murdered by the dark guilds. Do you know how many enemies I've made as Maelstrom? Tartaros may not have announced it, but they placed a bounty of millions of jewels for my head to reward any dark guild that chances upon me somewhere. Can you imagine if everyone knew I belonged to Fairy Tail?"

"We'll be attacked for sure," the ivory-haired girl whispered, as the implications hit her. Makarov nodded solemnly, holding Mirajane's hand and patting it. "Don't worry about him, okay? He's part of the family. Think of him as a more visible Mystogan, hmm? That's just how the two of them operate. It doesn't mean they don't care for us, or are dangerous. They love Fairy Tail, and will do anything for us."

"I understand," Mirajane nodded seriously, a far cry from her usual antics. Naruto sighed in relief. "Please don't leak this out. Maelstrom is still wanted by the dark guilds. And keep calling me Ráfaga, it makes things easier for the rest of the guild and yourselves, given that's what you usually call me anyway."

The two teenage girls nodded quietly. From behind, Cana leaned into Mirajane's ear, whispering softly so that the two males in the room couldn't hear. "If you still don't trust Ráfa-nii, you can always ask him out to know him better. Then you can tell us if he really is into _shibari_."

Mirajane's face turned beet red as Naruto approached them. "Thank you for your understanding, Mirajane, Cana-chan. It means a lot to me. Now c'mon, Cana-chan, let me show you my _Hiraishin no Jutsu_, and exactly why I gave you that _kunai_ you keep in your bag."

"See you tomorrow, old man, Mirajane," the blond man waved goodbye.

Taking the hand of his surrogate sister; with another thankful nod to the oldest Strauss, the duo vanished into thin air. Makarov muttered something under his breath, before shooing Mirajane out of his home. The girl managed to stumble back to Fairy Hills in a daze, barely registering that her room lights were on.

She was only broken out of her reverie when Lisanna tackled her midsection. "Mira-nee! How did your confession go?"

"I wasn't the one confessing in the end," Mirajane muttered, mainly to herself.

Lisanna gasped, clutching Mirajane's hands in excitment. "Ráfaga-niichan likes you too? Oh my god, I'm so excited for you, Mira-nee!"

Mirajane's mind cleared that instant, her eyes widening at her slip of tongue. There was a tinge of pink on her cheeks, but she definitely wasn't imagining Ráfaga confessing to her, not at all! "No, no! I said I didn't manage to confess to him in the end. You must have heard wrongly, haha…"

_Ráfaga…Naruto…Maelstrom…_

"I heard that dreamy sigh!" Lisanna accused, pinching her sister. "Stop thinking perverted thoughts, Mira-nee! I think Ráfaga-niichan likes sweet, innocent girls, not perverted ones!"

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"That's not good," Naruto mumbled, as they saw the smoke that rose from the town they were headed towards. Mystogan, running beside him, grunted his assent. "I believe this is the region where the Take Over Trio accepted a mission about fighting the magical creature known as the Beast."

"Not good at all," Naruto groaned, as the duo saw increasing signs of a harsh battle.

A loud scream echoed through the area moments later. Student and teacher's eyes met, and nodding towards each other, they split up. Mystogan readied his staff to close the _Anima_ they had been tracking, while Naruto dashed towards the source of the scream. Landing on a nearby rooftop that was still partially intact, he came upon the Take Over Trio. The two sisters were on the broken pavement while a beast stumbled about, looking puzzled as it stared at its hands. Mirajane's voice sounded desperate as she tried to heal Lisanna, but the younger Strauss only smiled as she glowed brightly, before dissolving into magical particles that drifted into the sky, towards the _Anima_. Biting his lip, Naruto prayed Mystogan would be in time to close the portal as he jumped in front of the Beast, his open palm outstretched.

"Sleep," Naruto commanded.

His hand held inches away from the massive beast's face, it didn't take long for his _Sleep Magic_ to take over, sending an out of control Elfman Strauss into deep slumber. The teen's body crumpled to the ground, glowing softly as he shrunk in size, his body returning to normal. Sighing, Naruto scooped the unconscious teen over his shoulder, lifting his massive weight as if it were a feather. Slowly trudging his way over to Mirajane, he gently lowered Elfman beside the sobbing girl, who clutched her sleeping brother as she wailed her heart out.

Naruto cast a glance back at a faraway tree, where Mystogan was balanced perfectly on a thin tree branch. Connecting with Mystogan through _Telepathy_, Naruto enquired. _Is she still with us?_

The Edolas prince stowed his staff away, indicating that the _Anima_ was closed. He shook his head at Naruto in reply, before dissolving into a fine mist that dissipated in the midday sun. Sighing, Naruto stared thoughtfully at the mockingly clear skies, wishing he didn't have to do something as cruel as to hide the fate of Lisanna from her siblings. _But it's for the better that they don't harbour too much hope of finding Lisanna in Edolas. We cannot just invade Edolas for one girl. That could cause a war Fiore is not equipped to handle. Mystogan's identity will be threatened if the existence of Animas is revealed as well. No, it's better that I hide the truth until the time comes when I have to bear the cost of lying once more._

"Mirajane," Naruto whispered gently, his arm looping around the distraught girl's shoulder as he pulled her into a warm hug. "She's in a better place now."

"She didn't deserve to die like this!" Mirajane bawled into Naruto's shoulder, her hands clutching the front of Naruto's coat desperately. "She's such a sweet, loving girl…she didn't deserve to die! If anyone should die, it's me! Not Lisanna! Never Lisanna…"

"Don't ever say that," Naruto murmured, pulling back to stare into Mirajane's teary orbs. "Don't let her sacrifice be in vain. Live for her, Mira."

"You don't know what it's like to lose someone you love!" Mirajane shrieked, pushing Naruto weakly. "You don't understand anything!"

Gathering the hysterical girl into a hug once more, Naruto refused to let go as she pounded on his chest ineffectually, her sobs showing no signs of ending. Naruto shut his eyes as he summoned his courage to open his heart to Mirajane. "I understand completely, Mira. I…I lost everyone I loved before. One by one, they died, until a madman held the remainder under an unbreakable illusion. I ended up in Fiore because I tried to go back in time, to rescue everyone. But I failed. I failed to protect the ones I loved, and now I've lost them forever."

Mirajane's crying ceased for a moment, as she tilted her head up to stare at Naruto incredulously. The blond smiled weakly, his own tears starting to fall from his misty azure orbs. "I lost everyone in my world, Mira. I'm literally the last of my people. But I have a new family now. So do you, Mira. You still have Elfman. You still have Fairy Tail. You still have family. Don't abandon the ones you love like I did."

He shifted his body, sliding his arms under her knees and shoulders, lifting her into his arms. A clone burst into existence, handling the sleeping Elfman with care. Naruto flashed a bittersweet smile at the sniffling Mirajane as he tightened his grip on the ivory-haired girl. "Let's go home, Mira."

She nodded tiredly, shutting her eyes and pressing her head against Naruto's shoulder as they disappeared into thin air.

_Stay safe, Lisanna. One day, I'll come for you._


	9. Chapter 8: Lucy

**Author's Notes:** As I expected, the last chapter wasn't the best received. But thank you all for your honest (and really kind) reviews! I guess it's the bane of writers working alone; it always seems to make sense in your head, and you just can't be as critical about your own work as others can. I'm not sure how I can edit last chapter to make it better though...I knew I shouldn't have ploughed on to canon without reviewing it further :(

I did some minor changes in response to the guest review I had, so Naruto stops being the blushing/innocent archetype. I might try to revamp the chapter once I can get a solid feel of what's needed, but that could be a long way away. I'm very distracted by the Oración Seis arc that I'm building towards, so you guys may have to live with that crappy chapter for a while yet, maybe even forever.

This chapter has a huge chunk taken from the manga, as will chapters 9, 10 and 11 (10 is the worst offender in this aspect). That's because firstly, I didn't see the need to create new stuff; everything should run as canon did, with minor exceptions. Secondly, well, I was in a weird place when I did these few chapters. Frankly, it's shameful of me as a writer to lift from the manga wholesale, but I promise I will have original content near the end of the Phantom arc. Sorry for being such a disappointment :(:(:(

_To those concerned about the weak romance:_ Yeeeaaa, it's not my forte. I shouldn't use it as an excuse though. But in any case, the chapter was more to tell everyone that Mira has a crush on Naruto, just like Cana (and other girls) had crushes on Macao before. It's a girl thing, to crush on older, mature males in your life. Normally, that sort of thing fades quickly when the girl gets into a relationship. But in this case, because Naruto saves her and then connects with her off-screen (between X782-X784), they get closer. They don't actually get together at this point; it'll be past Phantom Lord before they hook up for real.

It's the reason why the story skips 2 years from X782 to X784 (and into canon); I have no confidence and inspiration to write some sappy romantic scenes for them. Guh, maybe I should have left the romance out of this story...

The romance was supposed to go like this: they're drawn to each other because of similar loss and mutual understanding. As a result of Mira's initial childish crush, it becomes a full-blown crush. From Naruto's side, yeesh, that's even weaker. But I guess it's Mira being the first chick to be close to him in a truly romantic way. Cana's the little sister, while Ikaruga's merely flirting (to him at least). His prior experiences don't help either. He's never had any in Earthland, and back in the Elemental Countries, the only girl that really liked him was Hinata, and we all know how canon Naruto is blithely ignoring that.

_To the Guest:_ I initially did an Innocent!Naruto because it had more room for personal amusement when writing. But I get where you're coming from. I gave your review a long consideration, and decided to take out all the instances of an Innocent!Naruto, to give him a more...mature feel. It's nothing major, just a few slight modifications here and there. Hopefully it'll look better.

_Junky: _I have a chapter dedicated to explaining just why Naruto did all the things he did pre-canon, including the false name. It's a mega cop-out chapter, a lot like the Unohana/Kenpachi thing that just ended in Bleach, explaining Kenpachi's inconsistent power levels. It was bloody awkward to write that chapter too, but it made sense in my head, and I hope it will make sense (and not induce rage-quit) to you guys too.

_GaijinSamurai:_ Gildarts is slightly stronger than Bluenote. Hades is stronger than Bluenote. And I class Zero on Hades' level. Note that this Zero I'm talking about is not Brain, but the suppressed side of him. The Jura I mentioned refers to X784 Jura, the one who claims he's the weakest of the Wizard Saints. Looking at his battle with Hoteye, can you expect him to beat Jose? So he's a notch below Naruto. Everyone is a notch below Zeref (until canon Natsu inevitably eats some magical substance, goes into Dragon Force and beats the crap out of him...)

_WutWut:_ Zeref kills everything he touches, literally. I don't see how Naruto can combat that. The best answer I have is _fūinjutsu_, but he'll have to create one from scratch, and that's after he's fought Zeref and analysed his powers a little. So no way of Naruto beating Zeref until past Tenrō arc, when the guy actually appears.

_Fuyuriku:_ Don't worry, you haven't offended me or anything. I'm well aware of my limitations :P I hope my future sappy stuff (chapters 14/15/16) doesn't crash and burn like chapter 7 did. Hell, I'm even worried for chapter 13. I'm pretty sure the way the action unfolded in that chapter is contrived, but my brain was fixated on writing it that way, and now I have no clue how to fix it :(

_rexkaiden:_ There's a deeper reason for the casual way he revealed secrets, but that won't come until chapter 14. As for being suspicious, why wouldn't they? Gildarts sees him defeat a ton of dark mages alone when he's supposed to be a B-class mage. Hothead Mira sees him in a shady tavern talking about dark guilds. It's an exaggeration, I admit, but which person from a legal guild wouldn't be suspicious of such activities? The legal guilds never involve themselves in such things. It's abhorrent to them. To see someone from their guild do it will obviously prompt paranoia...that's my explanation anyway. And the name change thing, well, it's going to be explained eventually.

_Alter Avans:_ Haha, I'm not sure if I should feel complimented or disheartened at being compared to professional _mangaka_ :P As explained above, it's supposed to be a shallow attraction in X782. It gets deeper after Naruto saves her pretty butt, talks to her, and connects with her all the way to canon. But yea, I'm just trying not to hold my knees and sob in a corner at how terrible that chapter turned out, and how I could even contemplate uploading it.

There is something far deeper that's serving as Naruto's motivations, governing ALL his actions, but I don't think that excuses the poor quality of the romance/suspense/drama. Nor does my writing style; as a writer, there should be coherence across the whole story. But hey, everyone's gotta fall down to learn to pick themselves up again, right? As long as I improve, I think it's all good ;)

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto or Fairy Tail.

* * *

**Chapter 8: Lucy (X784)**

"Woah…" Lucy Heartfilia exclaimed, as she shielded her eyes to look at the Fairy Tail guild headquarters from bottom to top. "It's huge."

"Welcome to Fairy Tail," Happy squeaked, waving his tiny hands.

As Lucy stepped into the massive hall of Fairy Tail, she watched in awe as everyone went about their daily routines. It was a lively atmosphere, with everyone happily chatting and drinking with each other. A few mages hovered around a wooden board with various pieces of paper pinned to it, citing requests for missions and their rewards. Waitresses flitted around the tables, serving drinks to everyone. One of the guild members called out for a waitress. "Mira-chan!"

"Yes, yes, what is it?" the ivory-haired waitress made her way over to the straw-haired man, smoking a pipe. He removed the pipe from his lips, blowing out a string of smoke that formed a heart. "Forget Ráfaga, let's go on a date next time!"

His friend growled good-naturedly. "Ah! Hey, don't be sneaky, or Ráfaga's going to use his _shibari_ techniques on you."

"Sigh…" the one named Mira-chan shook her head, sweeping the smoke away with her hands, before changing forms into a plump woman, with blushing cheeks. "You have a wife, don't you?"

"DWAAH!" the man cried in fear, waving his hands at the transformed girl. "Don't transform into my wife!"

As the one dubbed Mira-chan morphed back to her usual beautiful looks, she noticed the doors were opened, with two people (and a cat) walking through. "Ah…Natsu, welcome back."

"We're home!" Natsu yelled, while Happy waved at his guild mates. "Home…"

Accompanied by Lucy, the pink-haired man stopped as he glared at a certain individual. The man laughed at Natsu as he began to speak. "Hahaha, you overdid it again! I read about the incident in Hargeon Town in the newspaper-"

Krov sweated profusely as his words were cut off, his face about to meet the sole of one angry dragon slayer. Natsu's wrathful foot sent the mage careening across the room, knocking a few teeth loose. Little wisps of flames emanated from his mouth as he screamed at Krov in his rage. "Bastard! That info you gave me about 'Salamander' was fake!"

"My…now that Natsu is back, the place might be torn apart soon, ufufufu," Mira-chan chuckled, watching the scene with fond exasperation. The man who just flirted with her was less amused, his dismay at the violence quite visible on his expressive features. "It's already being torn apart!"

As everyone started to brawl rather wildly, furniture getting tossed and fists getting thrown here and there, Lucy stood before the scene, still in awe that she just stepped into the strongest guild in all of Fiore. Hand clasping the handle of her luggage bag tightly, she stared wide-eyed at the degenerating violence before her innocent eyes. "I really…came to Fairy Tail…"

"Did you say Natsu is back?" a raven-haired man shouted, standing up from his position near Lucy. "Hey…let's settle our fight from the other time! Punk!"

"Gray…have you been walking around like that?" a woman seated in an undignified position on the table nearby smirked. That was when the black-haired mage named Gray realised he was down to his striped boxers. Alarm filled his face as he finally noticed his state of undress. "Hack! Shit!"

"Tch…another one of those undignified guys…that I really hate," the half-inebriated woman mumbled, unimpressed by her guild mate's antics. Lucy watched gob-smacked as the dark-haired woman tipped a whole barrel of what smelled like alcohol to her lips. "You guys are pathetic. Can't you be more like Ráfa-nii?"

The one named Gray ignored the drinking woman's words, having long been distracted at the sight of Natsu, as he declared a challenge to the pink-haired fire-breathing mage. He was promptly turned down on account of his lack of clothes. As Lucy tried to make sense of the growing madness that was supposed to be Fairy Tail, a huge shadow loomed over her. Startled, she turned back to see a huge, white-haired man with a stitched scar running down his right eye. "What rubbish…yapping in the middle of the day…you're not little kids you know…"

"So fight with fists to show your manhood!" the man roared, gesturing passionately at the brawling mages before him. Lucy felt rather let down by the man's words, her abject disappointment clearly visible on her pretty features. "So it all comes down to fighting after all…"

"Get out of the way!" Gray and Natsu yelled in tandem, smashing them fists into the large man, sending him flying away. Lucy sweat-dropped at the concerted attack. Suddenly, another man spoke up amongst the chaos. Turning her head to see the mage who opened his mouth, Lucy gasped loudly, star struck. "Ahh! Loke, the top ranked 'Mage you want to have as your boyfriend'!"

"I'll go join their fight~" the man wriggled his eyebrows at the two beautiful girls clinging onto his sides, his eyes filled with unbridled perverseness. The girls, hearts in their eyes, cheered their man on, making sure to press their sizeable assets against his body. Lucy collapsed to the ground in defeat. _And his image is officially corrupted!_

"What's with this place…none of them are normal…" Lucy lamented, unable to accept that the greatest guild in Fiore was such a crazy place.

A sweet voice then rang from beside her ear. "My, a newcomer?"

Alarmed, Lucy looked up, hastily scrambling to a better position to stare at the beautiful ivory-haired woman before her. She clutched her flaming cheeks coyly as she regarded her greatest female mage idol of all time, Fairy Tail's poster girl. "Mi-Mirajane! Kyaah…the real one~~~"

Her attention was once more caught by the rowdy battle that raged in the now completely wrecked lunch hall of Fairy Tail. Gesturing at the brawling mages anxiously, she stared wide-eyed at the unperturbedly smiling woman before her. "D-Don't you have to stop them?"

"It happens all the time. You don't have to worry about it~~" Mirajane smiled fondly at the mess her guild was still making, completely at ease with the destruction. Lucy scratched the back of her head, still finding it difficult to wrap her mind around the chaos that enveloped the guild. A bottle suddenly flew out of nowhere, smashing against Mirajane's head. Lucy screeched, fearing for Mirajane's health as the woman dropped to the ground like a stone. "Kyaah! Mirajane-san!"

"And besides, isn't it fun this way?" Mirajane ended her interrupted sentence as she stood up, blood trickling from her hairline as she continued to smile. Lucy's eyes bulged out at her nonchalance. _It's scary!_

At that exact moment, Gray landed safely in a crouch beside Lucy, scaring the wits out of her. Lucy screamed as elsewhere, Natsu grinned smugly, waving a very familiar piece of undergarment in his hand. Gray stood up, his front facing Lucy as he stared at his uncovered crotch, exclaiming. "AHHH! My underwear!"

"Don't face this way!" Lucy squealed, scrambling backwards in disgust and discomfort.

"Lady, if you don't mind, please lend me your under…" Gray began, only to receive a punch to his face from an embarrassed Lucy. "No way I'd do that!"

Before she could stomp the stripping man into oblivion, she suddenly found herself scooped up by strong arms, held aloft in Loke's arms. The shades-wearing man smiled disarmingly at the girl, his hands squeezing a bit too much to be considered friendly. "Ah geez…people with no elegance are really troublesome, don't you agree? By the way, which modeling agency do you belong to?"

"Men should fight with their fists!" the white-haired man from before declared. An annoyed Natsu immediately socked him in the jaw. "I said you're getting in our way."

"Ahhh…so noisy," the raven-haired woman who was drinking earlier complained, dropping her empty barrel of liquor on the ground as bottles flew across the air above her head. She drew an intricate card from her bag, her forehead twitching in irritation. "I can't even drink peacefully. Guys, it's time…to end this…"

"I've had it!" Gray shouted in agreement, slamming his hands together as a whitish-blue glow surrounded them.

"NUUUOOOHH!" the white-haired man roared, a layer of what resembled scales appearing on his right forearm.

"What a troublesome bunch…" Loke moaned, as he dropped Lucy unceremoniously to the ground and slipped a glowing ring on his finger.

"Come and get me!" Natsu cheered, fire coalescing on his fists.

"Magic?!" Lucy gaped in disbelief.

"This is getting a little too intense…" Mirajane giggled amusedly, placing a finger on her chin in thought.

"**That's enough**," a loud voice boomed, as a huge shadow loomed over the entire guild hall. "**Cut it out, you fools!**"

"He's humongous!" Lucy shrieked in fear.

Everyone stopped as ordered, looking at each other with fright evident in their eyes. Only Mirajane seemed unaffected by the fear-inducing giant in the middle of their guild. "My…you were here, Master?"

"Master?" Lucy squeaked, staring at the giant man. Everyone quickly turned back to their prior activities, unwilling to risk the wrath of their humongous leader, except for Natsu, who grinned in triumph. "Dahahahaha! You all got so scared! This match is my win!"

He was promptly squashed beneath a huge foot, to Lucy's horror. The man then turned his gaze at Lucy and Mirajane. "**Oh…a newcomer?**"

"Yes…" Lucy stammered fearfully, trembling in the face of the huge man.

"**Fuuuuu…**" the man grimaced, as Lucy screeched in fear that the gigantic guild master of Fairy Tail would squash her flat. Instead, he shrunk in size until he was a quarter Lucy's height, to the blonde girl's complete incredulity. The little old man waved casually at the girl, image completely at odds with his previously massive size. "Nice to meet you."

Then, he performed a miraculous triple somersault upwards. Instead of landing on the railing of the second floor, however, he smashed face first _into_ the railings, prompting a bout of laughter from everyone present in the guild. Embarrassed, the man shuffled quickly to recover, standing on the edge of the railings as he waved a thick stack of papers about. Clearing his throat, he adopted a stern tone as he began speaking. "You've done it again, fools. Look at these documents I've received from the Council…"

"First…Gray. Good job on sweeping out the smuggling organization, but you walked around naked in town afterwards. And ran away after stealing underwear that was being dried," the diminutive guild master read, to Gray's confusion. "But…wouldn't it be worse if I stayed naked?"

"Then don't be naked in the first place…" the silver-haired man muttered, not impressed. He was next on the list though, as the guild master continued naming people. "Elfman! You had a mission to escort a VIP, but you assaulted him during the mission."

"He said, men are all about education, so…" the one named Elfman looked sheepish, scratching his chin.

The master shook his head as he went on. "Cana Alberona, drinking fifteen big barrels of alcohol and charging it to the Council…Loke, flirting with Council member Elder Reiji's granddaughter. A certain talent agency charged us for damage compensation too. And Natsu…you defeated the Devon family thief, but also destroyed seven other houses that belong to the townspeople…leveling a historical tower in Tully Village, burning down a church in Freesia, damaging parts of Lupinus Castle…Nazuna Ravine Conservatory collapsed and thus stopped its operations…destroying half of Hargeon Town's port…"

_Most of the articles on Fairy Tail's destructive tendencies covered in Sorcerer Magazine were done by Natsu, huh…_Lucy thought in mild horror. The guild master sighed. "Alzack, Levy, Krov, Reedus, Warren, Bisca, etc…guys, the Council members are angry at me all the time…"

"But…forget about the Council members," the man burned the papers in his hand with a fierce expression on his face, as he tossed the papers down for Natsu to gobble up happily.

Lucy's eyes widened in stupefaction as she considered the guild master's words. "Eh?"

"Listen up," the man said, his eyes burning with passion. "The power to overcome reasoning is born from reasoning. Magic is not a miracle. When the spirit flow within us and the spirit flow in nature connects, they will form an embodiment for the first time. You will need a strong mentality and a lot of concentration for that. I mean, pouring all of your soul into whatever you do is _the_ magic. If you keep worrying about the watchful eyes of the higher-ups, your magic won't improve. Do not fear the fools of the Council."

"Do whatever you think is right!" the man declared, a wide grin on his features. "That's the way of Fairy Tail mages!"

The cheers that echoed throughout the guild hall were resounding.

Lucy couldn't help but feel absolutely at home in the warmth and friendliness of the guild that is Fairy Tail.

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The celebrations of a new guild member lasted into the night. Lucy didn't think they were celebrating her arrival after the first minute or so, but it was nice to think of it that way. She found herself seated at the bar with Mirajane behind it, asking questions about members and watching in morbid fascination as Natsu stuffed himself with flaming pieces of food and even a drink that was clearly on fire. Lucy was rather wary of the fire-conjuring mage's choice of sustenance, lest she got her clothes burnt off and turned her into another Gray, who was currently dressed in his boxers…and only his boxers. He was still blissfully unaware of that little factoid, however, and Lucy decided not to point it out. It seemed too natural a habit to be something she could change that easily.

Then, a man strolled into the hall, mumbling a few greetings to various people as he walked past their tables. He waved at the smoker named Wakaba, before he sat himself down beside Lucy. The blonde girl was a bit intimidated by the man with similar hair colour to her. He was dressed in an unusual getup, and that was in comparison with all the weirdoes already present in Fairy Tail.

The first thing she noticed about his wardrobe was his long red coat, decorated with a black flame motif along the bottom hem. He also wore a graphite, form-fitting cuirass over a black turtleneck t-shirt and pants. His feet were adorned with dark leather boots that look worn from age. His coat was short-sleeved, and it exposed the slate grey arm bracers tied around the long sleeves of his shirt, as well as fingerless gloves that had a metal plate fixed to the back of the hand. A strip of cloth was tied loosely around his neck, with another metal plate protecting his neck. Finally, a black cloth mask covered him from neck to the bridge of the nose, exposing only his azure blue eyes. His spiky hair reached the nape of his neck, and two long bangs framed his face.

The man sighed as he collapsed across the bar, his arms outstretched. He was holding out an envelope, which the bargirl took from his hands and handed over to the guild master seated on the bar top a distance away. Mirajane smiled sweetly at the man as she went to the back of the bar. She returned, hauling a big barrel of alcohol. The man seemed to perk up a little, as the ivory-haired girl moved the undoubtedly heavy barrel with great ease, belying her slender build. The man uttered a word of thanks, before raising the barrel and guzzling down the beer faster than Lucy had seen anyone drink before, even the woman named Cana. On cue, said raven-haired drunkard stumbled over, slapping the crimson-coated man on the back.

"Yo, Ráfa-nii," Cana slurred out her salutations, ordering Mirajane to get her a barrel too. The girl cheerfully complied, and as she disappeared into the back, Cana smirked coyly. "Aren't you going to greet our new member that's sitting beside you? Or are you going to spend all your time gawking at your Mira-chan, hmm?"

"New member?' the blond man asked curiously, smacking his lips as he finished the barrel and tossed it behind him casually, incidentally knocking it into Natsu and Gray, who then got into a fight over who deserved to fight the man who threw the barrel in the first place. The blond man's eyes shut into little happy crescents as he stuck a hand out to shake Lucy's. "Welcome to Fairy Tail. I'm Ráfaga Remolino. I hope those kids behind you didn't scare you too much."

"It's nice to meet you, Ráfaga-san," Lucy smiled in relief, glad to see someone who seemed at least a bit normal around the place. "I'm Lucy Heartfilia."

"Heartfilia, huh…" the man murmured thoughtfully. Shaking his head, he thanked Mirajane as the woman brought out two barrels, obviously knowing the man's wishes quite well. As Cana challenged the blond man to a drinking contest he boasted that he would crush the girl at, Lucy decided to ask Mirajane about the member. "Who's he?"

"Oh, he's a more senior member of Fairy Tail. He's a bit younger than Wakaba over there, but older than my generation. He's Cana's adoptive older brother, and we're all like his little siblings," Mirajane explained, smiling fondly at the imbibing man. "He's a bit of a pervert like the rest of them, but at least he's not as bad as Master. Though I still think his use of chains are a bit too kinky…"

_Chains? Kinky?_ Lucy shuddered, inching away from the man who just trounced Cana at her drinking contest. Mirajane laughed merrily, as someone went into the storeroom to grab the barrels while the rest of the guild began egging the two on for a second round of drinking. "Don't worry, that's just his preferred magic. He has good morals, and won't use it for _shibari_ on unsuspecting young girls like you."

"Keep pretending you don't want him to wrap you up and take you to bed, Mira!" Cana hollered in an uncouth fashion, as she put down her third (empty) barrel of beer for the night. A round of laughter ensued as everyone started teasing the blushing Mirajane about her crush on Ráfaga. The man only looked resigned, as if the ribbing was a common occurrence (though how he pulled off that look without his face even visible was questionable), while Lucy regarded him with different eyes now that that piece of information was revealed to her. _To attract the eyes of the beautiful Mirajane-san…he must be quite the mage!_

The crowd easily distracted by Ráfaga's imminent fight with Natsu, who had won his little tussle with Gray (by pointing out the humiliated dark-haired mage's lack of clothes), Lucy decided to question Mirajane further. "Hey, do you really like Ráfaga-san? Or are they all just making fun of you?"

"He's been a great help to me personally, and an invaluable part of our guild," Mirajane answered vaguely, though a light blush still stained her cheeks. "I won't say anymore because it's too embarrassing, but he's definitely a good man."

_To draw out such praise from Mirajane-san…I wonder why he hasn't featured in the weekly magazine yet?_ Lucy mused, her womanly intuition telling her that Mirajane was indeed smitten with Ráfaga. "If he's so amazing, why isn't he on Sorcerer Magazine? Surely Mirajane-san's boyfriend will be heavily featured, right?"

"Oh no, he's not my boyfriend," Mirajane waved her hand in front of her face as if to swipe away the thoughts, her blush deepening. "And the reason why he doesn't feature is because he's usually not around for photos. And he doesn't wreck Fairy Tail's image like some of our rowdier members tend to do."

Lucy was provided proof not a second later, as Natsu flew over her head and into Mirajane. The two mages were about to topple into the shelves of alcohol behind the bar, when chains wrapped around the two, keeping them from smashing up all the liquor. Lucy watched with an awestruck gaze as Ráfaga's outstretched hand pulled on the metallic chains that materialised from his palms, righting Mirajane on her feet while tossing Natsu across the bar top once more, smashing into a broken table. Mirajane, breathless from the near fall, thanked her hero as he winked at her and Lucy, before diving into combat once more. Suddenly, Lucy recalled the poll she was reading about most desirable mages.

"Wait…Ráfaga Remolino…he's ninth on the list of most wanted mages for boyfriends!" Lucy exclaimed. "How did I miss that?"

"Because they can never get recent photos of me," Ráfaga answered from beside her suddenly, causing Lucy to jump four feet off her chair in fright. Turning her head back to look at the massive brawl that was growing every minute, she wondered how he got out of that bedlam unscathed. The blond man chuckled throatily, his pleasant baritone warm and inviting. "I dropped down the list from fifth to ninth thanks to a few pretty boys from Blue Pegasus, and the fact that even girls get tired of mysteries that don't get solved. That's Mira-chan's explanation for my fallen ranking anyway."

"Your mysterious looks will garner you votes," Lucy nodded slowly, stroking her chin as she tried to look knowledgeable. "But your hidden face makes me think you're trying to hide something ugly."

"Haha, no, I'm not hiding anything ugly," the man laughed merrily. "Mira-chan's seen my face before, she can vouch for me."

Mirajane nodded cheerily. "He's a very handsome man. More attractive than you, Master, so don't be jealous of all the female attention he gets and you don't!"

Lucy squealed as her bum was pinched from behind. She slapped the offender, only to squeal in fright again, as the red imprint of her hand was found on none other than the guild master's sorry-looking face. Ráfaga laughed uproariously as the perverted old man shuffled onto the bar top in front of Ráfaga, knocking the man on the head with his pipe. "Fool! Why do you never teach me how you pick up chicks?!"

"I told you, I don't pick up chicks, old man!" Ráfaga cut his laughter abruptly, his eyes narrowing in anger. "You should have asked Gildarts before he left, you senile old coot! He's the player, not me! And stop spreading lies to other guilds about my _Chain Magic_ during guild master meetings, you decrepit old fool! Now Mermaid Heel members all run from me like crazy when they see me!"

As the insults flew without pause, and words that even sailors would be hesitant to _think_ were thrown out, Lucy poked an amused Mirajane tentatively, blushing as a particularly naughty insult was said. "Erm…isn't the arguing a bit too…overboard? I mean, words can cut deeper than fists…"

Mirajane giggled in commiseration as she patted Lucy on the hand, before retrieving what looked like an ink stamp. "Don't worry, it's their little ritual. Ráfaga and the Master have a very close relationship, almost bordering on father and son, and their insults to each other are a form of affection between them. Now, where would you like your guild stamp, and what colour will it be?"

"Oh, on the back of my right hand, and in pink please!" Lucy thought for a quick moment, before holding out the hand. Mirajane took the stamp, and pressed it against the smooth skin. The stamp glowed at the point of contact, and when Mirajane removed it, the guild emblem of Fairy Tail was imprinted painlessly on her hand in bright pink. Marveling at the stamp, she bounced over to Natsu, who was busy trying to rip off Gray's boxers once more. She flashed him the stamp happily, a big smile on her face. "Natsu, look! I got the mark of Fairy Tail!"

"Good for you, Luigi," Natsu said seriously, too engrossed in his fight. Lucy fumed. "It's LUCY!"

As the fighting slowly died down, Natsu got away and walked towards the request board, mumbling about having no money. Lucy, curious, watched as he peered at the mission requests, before grabbing a piece of paper off of it. "Hundred and sixty thousand jewels for exterminating thieves! That's it."

Then, a young boy approached the group situated at the bar. He went to Makarov, tears gathering at the edge of his eyes. "Is my daddy back yet?"

"You're annoying, Romeo. If you are the son of a mage, trust your father, be a good boy and wait for him at home," Makarov chastised in irritation. Romeo didn't give up though, lips trembling as he continued to address the tiny guild master. "He said he'd come back in three days…but it's been a week since then…"

"Macao's job is at Mt. Hakobe, isn't it?" Ráfaga added, leaning his elbows on the bar as he cradled his face with his hands.

"It's not that far either!" Romeo shouted, his anxiety bubbling away. "Please look for him! I'm worried about him!"

"No way! Your dad is a mage!" Makarov glowered, glaring at the young boy. "We have no mage here that can't take care of himself! Go home and drink milk or something!"

Romeo sniffled, struggling to hold back his tears before he jumped off the ground, smashing a fist into Makarov's face. The old man toppled over and fell behind the bar, as Romeo shouted angrily at Makarov before running out of the guild, crying loudly. Lucy stared at the small back of the child. "It's very strict in here, isn't it?"

"Master's like that, but he's definitely worried about Macao too," Mirajane prodded the prone guild master beside her foot, before she stepped over him to grab some washed beer mugs. She proceeded to wipe them with a clean rag in an absentminded fashion. "Right, Master?"

The man declined to reply, only moaning to himself about his apparently shattered hipbone. Then, a loud crash was heard. Jumping off her seat in fright once more, Lucy watched as Natsu stalked away from the mission request board, his eyes full of some quality Lucy couldn't identify. The previous request he was holding on to was smashed into the board, cracking the wood. The man who was standing beside Natsu pointed at the board as he stared at the dragon slayer's back. "Hey! Natsu! Don't break the request board!"

The pink-haired mage didn't reply, only grabbing his travelling items as he stomped out of the guild. The tribal-looking man then addressed the guild master, who had climbed back to the bar top and was staring at Natsu's back as well. "Master…Natsu's gonna do something bad…he…I bet he's going to help Macao."

"Stupid kid…if he does that, he'll only hurt Macao's pride," Makarov shook his head, before grinning in exasperation. "No one can decide what he should do. Just leave him alone."

"What happened to him…all of a sudden…" Lucy mumbled to herself, shocked at the drastic change in demeanour from the happy-go-lucky guy she had pegged him to be.

"The same thing happened to Natsu…" Mirajane spoke softly, almost too soft for Lucy to catch. "Maybe he saw himself in Romeo-kun. Natsu's father hasn't come back ever since he left. Though, by father I meant a foster parent. And he's a dragon."

"A dragon?!" Lucy exclaimed in unbridled shock, falling off her seat. "Natsu was raised by a dragon?! How could I believe that?!"

"Right?" Mirajane smiled morosely, concurring with Lucy's initial thoughts. "He was found by that dragon in a forest when he was little, and learned words, cultures, and magic from him. But one day, the dragon disappeared from Natsu's side. That's Igneel, Natsu's father."

"I see…" Lucy murmured, clambering back on her seat.

"Natsu is…looking forward to seeing Igneel one day," Mirajane leaned over the bar top, smiling warmly at Lucy. "Isn't he cute?"

"Mages of Fairy Tail all carry something," Ráfaga butted into the conversation, his words somber. "Wounds, pain, suffering…everyone has their own story, and not every story is a happy one. But we're Fairy Tail, and even if the first chapters of our story are tearjerkers, we'll always end our journey happy, as a family. Right, Mira-chan?"

"That's right…" Mirajane smiled tenderly at Ráfaga, the two seemingly lost in their own world.

_I feel like a third wheel here,_ Lucy thought, as she gazed at the open doors that Natsu left through. _I wonder if he needs some help?_

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"That Natsu…making a mess of things as usual," Makarov shook his head, as he sat in the basement of the Fairy Tail guild building. "Erza's gone to retrieve them, so it shouldn't be too long before they're back. They are, as Mira-chan says, probably the strongest team in Fairy Tail right now."

"I'm not concerned about them now, I'm concerned about what's going to come soon," Naruto shot back, balancing his wooden chair on two legs. "You know our newest member, Lucy Heartfilia right?"

"She's fitting in quite well, isn't she?" Makarov smiled, a hint of his perverted nature shining through his words.

"Yes, she is, but that's not the point," Naruto groaned at his guild master's antics. "Pay attention, will you. They've been ready for a while now. They have been ever since Gildarts left on the hundred-year mission, in fact. They've just been waiting for the right opportunity, the right motivation, the right moment to launch an attack. And thanks to our new member, it's coming."

"You mean…" Makarov drifted off, his eyes bulging from the news.

Naruto nodded gravely. "He's sent off the Ace already. Expect some nasty things to happen in a few days' time. He's one cruel son of a bitch, so get ready for some heartache and some righteous rage too. Of course, it's all bait for Fairy Tail to chomp at, bait he knows we _will_ chomp at. I've been instructed to neutralize Fairy Tail's greatest threat when the ambush happens. It's a trap I don't recommend you spring, because honestly, that'll just reaffirm his stupid decision, and egg him on. You remember my briefing about his supposed trump cards, don't you?"

"What do you foresee happening then?" Makarov sighed, feeling his age more than ever.

"Victory for us, but plenty of damage to both sides. We need a bit of time to take out their various subdivisions, but Mystogan is already en route," Naruto answered honestly. "But no matter what, he's still just one person. He'll need time to take them out. And they'll be gunning for Lucy the moment Fairy Tail leaves home to retaliate, which means we'll need to stage a rescue attempt for her. That'll mean throwing ourselves at them again, thus ceding territorial advantage to them. I can surprise him, but you got to give me the order now."

"No…if you do that, you'll be one man against hundreds of hostiles and him," the Fairy Tail guild master shook his head. "I won't let anyone in my family do something so suicidal. Let them come. Being victims will strengthen our position in any case. You were the one to tell me to have faith in our youngsters, weren't you?"

"You're the master, it's your choice," Naruto shrugged, standing up smoothly. "You gotta go brush up on your acting skills then, old man."

"Tch. You're a million years too young to be giving me orders, fool," Makarov scoffed.


	10. Chapter 9: Phantom Lord I

**Author's Notes:** As pointed out by a faithful reviewer (Fuyuriku), my answers for reviews are getting too damn long (and are illegal too...I should have read the rules more carefully :P). So this is going to be the last chapter where I answer your reviews here, then I'm going to stop answering them in the story. That'll stop exaggerating my word count too, although I think it doesn't contribute THAT much. I'm not sure what medium you guys wish for me to answer your reviews by, so you can always indicate a preference in your review (like PMs or whatnot), or use the forum I just created for this very purpose. The link is in my profile, so feel free to drop by and ask/discuss whatever you wish about _La Tormenta_.

_zackyzack:_ Haha, of all the things you could have noticed/criticised...anyway, chapter 7 set in X781-X782. Chapter 8 is set in X784. For a weekly magazine, I think it's pretty impressive he only dropped four places in 2-3 years.

_Fuyuriku: _Yep, they're over. Of course, my writing style involves a lot of miniature timeskips between each segment, so be prepared for jumps here and there. Nothing more than a few days, maybe a fortnight tops. I thought of including the dates for every segment, but didn't see the need to. If requested, I will gladly go back and do up the dates for every section.

_Alter Avans:_ No problem! I don't base my updates on reviews anyway. I merely promised to upload every completed chapter I have, one a day until I'm all out of chapters. I'm not going to force the story just because you guys are so supportive, though it does give me a warm, fuzzy feeling when you review :) As for the number of chapters I have, I did up to chapter 12 before I uploaded the prologue, and since then I've written up to chapter 15. I'm halfway through chapter 16 now, and it should be done before too long. Past that, well, no promises!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto or Fairy Tail.

* * *

**Chapter 9: Phantom Lord I (X784)**

It was not a pretty sight that the team of Fairy Tail mages came back to. Erza, Lucy, Natsu, Gray and Happy stared up at the Fairy Tail building, pierced by giant iron beams that seemed to be holding up the guild headquarters as much as it was responsible for wrecking it. All the excitement and satisfaction at completing the S-rank mission to Galuna Island was immediately wiped out by the terrible state of the guild building. Rage and confusion were the two dominating emotions as they tried to make heads or tails of the apparent attack on them.

"Our guild is…" Natsu clenched his fists, staring at his feet in barely suppressed fury.

"What happened here…?" Erza mumbled to herself, already making conclusions based on the use of the iron pillars.

"Phantom."

The group whirled around, spotting a somber Mirajane standing behind them. She bit her lip anxiously, clearly unhappy with the situation. "It's mortifying…but we were done in…"

Mirajane shook her head to dispel the morbid thoughts, before leading the group into the guild. Taking the stairs down a level to a place Lucy hadn't seen before, they were met with every guild member healthy and well, hiding out in the Fairy Tail building basement. A chorus of greetings poured forth at the sight of the group returning, but soon, everyone was complaining about the attack by Phantom Lord, their competitor for the title of the greatest guild in Fiore. Plenty were angry about the situation, and plenty more wanted retaliation. Only two people seemed completely at ease with the situation, and both were drinking themselves silly. Makarov sat cross-legged on a table, while Ráfaga sat beside the old man on a chair, but still appearing taller than the diminutive master of Fairy Tail.

"Yo," Makarov greeted with a cheery wave. "Welcome back."

"We're back," Erza announced, a tad unnecessarily.

"Mira-chan," Ráfaga saluted lazily. "Nothing happened up top, I hope?"

The ivory-haired girl responded in the negative as Natsu growled at the guild master lifting a beer to his lips, Ráfaga mimicking his actions in every way. Lucy wondered briefly if they were really father and illegitimate child, masquerading as an unknown orphan; Laxus was blond too, which meant Makarov probably had blond hair when he was young too. She was quickly brought out of her reverie as Natsu shouted fiercely at the extremely calm Makarov. "Old man! This isn't happy hour, is it?!"

"Oooh, right you are," Makarov nodded solemnly, before adopting a mock angry face. He pointed an accusing finger at the dragon slayer, flashing his gritted teeth. "Guys! How dare you go on an S-rank mission without permission! Punishment! I'll give you your punishment myself! Prepare yourself!"

Natsu screeched at his guild master, fire brimming in his throat. "It's not the time for that now!"

Ráfaga only chuckled in mirth as he drank _through_ his mask, something Lucy only noticed now. Meanwhile, Makarov ignored his subordinate's shout, magically stretching his arm out to chop Natsu on the head a couple of times, repeating the motion with an annoyed but somewhat chastened Gray and Happy. Lucy was punished in another way however, as Makarov's cheeks flushed red and a cheeky grin appeared on his face. His hand stretched around Lucy's back, and spanked her bum a couple of times. Mirajane wasn't amused by her master's actions though. "Master! Behave yourself!"

"Master! Do you understand our situation?" Erza all but yelled, frustrated that the _Titan Magic_ wielder seemed so nonchalant about the destroyed building. Natsu joined in, his short temper making itself known. "They wrecked our guild, can't you see?!"

"Calm down, fools," Makarov scoffed, cradling a cheek with his hand as he leaned his elbow on his knee. "It's not something to make a fuss about."

Sounds of exclamation rang out with the Galuna Island team. Makarov chugged his beer without a care. "Phantom Lord, right? This is as far as those cowardly idiots will go. I don't see why they even bothered to attack an empty guild building."

"Empty guild?" Erza echoed.

"It seems they did this in the middle of the night," Mirajane explained. Erza nodded in comprehension. "So I see no one was hurt…we were lucky."

"Nah, not lucky. They were just too scared to face us on our own turf," Ráfaga chuckled, guzzling down his alcohol in a relaxed manner. "I doubt their Ace was confident enough to assault Fairy Tail in the day, when the old man is around. He'll be crushed like a bug."

"Precisely. There's no need to get cross with someone that resorts to surprise attacks," Makarov waved his hands about, dismissing the issue. "Leave them be."

Nastsu slammed his palm on the table beside Makarov, leaning in to glare at the collected guild master. "I can't accept it! I won't feel right until I smash them down!"

"This discussion is over," Makarov intoned seriously. "We'll take on jobs requests here until the first floor is fixed."

"We don't have time for jobs!" Natsu howled. Makarov adopted an angry face as he spanked Lucy multiple times. "Natsu! Cut it out!"

"Why is he hitting my butt for something Natsu is doing…?" Lucy bemoaned her rough treatment, as Mirajane stared disappointedly at her perverted guild master, planting her fists on her hips in a disapproving pose. "Master…don't push me."

"Ah, hold on…I gotta go take a leak…" the old man declared with mild trepidation at Mirajane's threat, as he hopped off the table and trundled towards the basement washroom. Natsu stared at the tiny back of their master in disbelief at his blasé attitude towards the attack by Phantom Lord. "How can you be so calm about it…old man?"

"Natsu…I'm sure Master is just as shocked as us," Mirajane tried to dissolve the tension. "But warfare between the guilds is prohibited by the Council."

"They were the ones who attacked us first!" Natsu hollered, glaring at Mirajane. Ráfaga coughed into his fist, attracting the group's attention. "That's beside the issue. Fairy Tail is not the building, but the members that belong within our guild. As long as none of us are hurt, the old man won't lift a finger against Phantom Lord. They are too cowardly to try anything besides attacking an empty guild building anyway. They don't deserve to occupy our time, physically or mentally. Really, it's nothing to write home about. We do more damage to our own guild building on a daily basis as it is."

"If this is how Master feels about it…" Erza muttered, eyes downcast as she clenched her fists. "We have to accept that…"

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"This has gotten really serious," Lucy thought aloud, as she walked nimbly along the edge of the canal. The boatmen on the waterway called out for the blond mage to be careful, as her Plue spirit trotted ahead of her. Dragging her luggage along behind her, the plastic wheels clacking against the uneven cobblestone road, Lucy stopped before the apartment building where she rented a place. "I'm glad we got away from our punishment though. Phantom Lord is known for being not on good terms with Fairy Tail, right?"

"To tell you the truth, I wasn't really sure which guild to join," Lucy confided in Plue, as she hefted the luggage up the stairs towards her apartment. "'Cause they're both just as outrageous as each other. But now…I'm glad that I joined this guild, 'cause Fairy Tail is…"

"…the beeest?!" Lucy screeched in shock, as she opened her door to walk into Erza, Gray, Natsu and Happy seated around her table. They all smiled and welcomed the blond _Celestial Spirit_ mage back to _her_ home, scaring the wits out of the easily frightened girl. She hurled her luggage at Natsu, knocking the pink-haired dragon slayer off his…her chair. "Don't gang up on me!"

"Seeing how Phantom came to Magnolia Town, it's possible that they got our addresses," Erza explained the situation. Lucy recoiled in horror, worried that her windows would suddenly be battered down by evil Phantom mages out for her blood. Gray continued Erza's explanation. "I don't think it'll happen, but they might attack us when we're alone. That's why Mira and Ráfaga said we should stay in a group for a while, until this thing blows over somehow."

"R-Really?" Lucy mumbled, her fluttering heart calming down at those words. Happy smiled in his usual manner. "Everyone's having a sleepover today!"

"You're of marriageable age…I wouldn't feel right if only Natsu and Gray spent the night here," Erza nodded to herself. "Both Master and Ráfaga offered to stay with you as well, but Master's intentions are obviously impure and Ráfaga was stolen away by Mira to stay at Elfman's place with her. That's why I decided to join you here."

"So Natsu and Gray staying over was a given?" Lucy deadpanned.

"Just as a pastime!" Natsu reaffirmed his position, before spotting Plue stuffing its face with something. "Woah! Plue! What is that you're eating? Gimme some!"

"I'm going to hit the sack, so pipe down," Gray muttered, annoyed at Natsu as was his norm. Happy pulled out one of Lucy's dresser drawers with some difficulty, staring innocently at her underwear before giggling in a way that a flying, talking cat never should. "Erza, looook…I found some kinky underwear."

Erza looked partially embarrassed and partially interested in the collection of skimpy undergarments as she peered into the drawer with unadulterated intrigue. "A-Amazing…you wear things like this…?"

"You guys are really making yourselves at home, aren't you?" Lucy sweat-dropped at the way the Galuna Island team acted in her home. Erza managed to tug her eyes away from Lucy's underwear collection, staring seriously at Gray and Natsu. "Either way…guys, you smell sweaty. Since we'll be sleeping in the same room, I suggest you take a shower."

"No way," Natsu denied the order, as did Gray. "I'm too sleepy."

"I guess there's no other way…" Erza sighed in irritation, wrapping her powerful arms around the necks of Gray and Natsu as she dragged them towards the bathroom with intent. "We can shower together, like in the old days…"

"What kind of relationship do you guys have?!" Lucy shouted, startled at Erza's boldness, and Gray and Natsu's reluctant acceptance of Erza's order…

A nice warm shower later, Lucy was toweling her hair dry as she decided to find out more about the situation. "Hey…do you have any idea why Phantom Lord would attack us like that all of a sudden?"

"I don't know…we've had some brushes before, but this is the first time they have attacked us so directly," Erza mused out loud, having changed into her pajamas using her _Requip Magic_. Natsu scowled in discontent, leaning his chin on the table. "The old man should quit being scared and just blow them off."

"I don't think the old man is scared, he is one of the Ten Wizard Saints after all," Gray replied, looking up from the newspaper in his hands, before his eyes widened and he exclaimed in mild horror. "I can't believe this cliffhanger! What's going to happen to Iris?"

"Ten Wizard Saints?" Lucy asked, still in the dark about many things regarding the magic world. Erza kindly answered her question. "It's a title given to the ten strongest mages in each continent, decided by the chairman of the Magic Council."

"Oh, wow!" Lucy remarked, unable to believe the tiny, perverted old man was anywhere near that strong. Happy chipped in to the conversation. "Master Jose Porla of the Phantom Lord guild is also one of the Ten Wizard Saints."

_And so is he…_ Erza thought to herself, as Natsu stood up, slamming his hands on the table, fuming. "He's just scared! 'Cause, Phantom has a lot of members!"

"I'm telling you, that's not it," Gray interrupted, cutting off Natsu's rant. "All the older members know exactly what would happen if two guilds of our strength fight, so they're trying to avoid going to such an extreme. It's all in order to protect the magic world from chaos. That's why the Magic Council bans inter-guild fighting after all."

"Are they really that great?" Lucy queried, gulping nervously. Natsu simmered in his rage. "They're not great at all."

"No…in reality, if they would get into a fight with us, both guilds will be brought down. Our battle potential is in the balance at the moment," Erza analysed somberly. "Master Jose, one of the Ten Wizard Saints, has been said to hold an equal amount of magic power as Master Makarov. The Element Four comprises four S-class mages, Phantom's equivalent to our S-class mages here. And finally, they say that their most formidable member is Iron Dragon Gajeel. Presumably, he's the culprit behind the guild attack this time. The Iron Dragon Slayer."

"Dragon slayer?!" Lucy cried out, stunned at the revelation. "T-There are others besides Natsu…? Then…does he eat…iron and stuff?"

"Probably," Erza murmured. "Now, let's rest. We'll need our energy for tomorrow."

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Peering into Elfman's room, she watched the snoring man until she was satisfied her younger brother was sound asleep. Mirajane shut the door softly, before trotting back to the living room of Elfman's apartment, where Naruto was lazing on the couch. In a corner, Cana was snoring loudly in the _futon_ she brought over, with Kurama the crimson fox lying beside the _Card Magic_ user on his back, his legs paddling the air as he probably dreamed of chasing rabbits or something similar. Mirajane joined an unmasked Naruto on the couch; she sat a bit too close to the blond-haired man for anyone to consider their relationship purely platonic. Sighing, she pursed her lips as she leaned her head on his shoulder.

"Are you going to reveal the truth about yourself?" Mirajane asked quietly, both of them gazing out of the second storey apartment window, studying the winking stars that dotted the lovely night skies. "We could really use your strength, especially since I can't do anything now…"

"You're just as important to the guild even without your skills, Mira-chan," Naruto retorted mildly. "You are Fairy Tail's heart."

"I can only use _Transformation Magic_ now, so don't bother with your flattery," Mirajane snapped, pinching Naruto's thigh painfully. "And don't try to change the topic."

Naruto winced as he rubbed his thigh. "The old man has another task for me. I won't be around to fight Phantom Lord if we did come to blows. In fact, I have to leave tonight."

"What's the rush? What exactly is this task?" Mirajane narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "Master won't send out his mages when there's an imminent threat like this."

Naruto grimaced, biting his lip as he contemplated his options. Finally, he sighed in resignation, knowing Mirajane would use all sorts of means to find out exactly what he was doing. A bit of information may get her off his back. "Fine. It's something to do with Phantom Lord, but I cannot say anything more. I gave the old man some options, but he wanted to maintain status quo and let things flow. So I won't be fighting against Phantom Lord, which is something that I expect will definitely occur quite soon."

"You knew all this was going to happen from the beginning," Mirajane accused, poking Naruto in the chest. The man fidgeted in his seat uncomfortably. "Maybe I do, maybe I don't. But, please trust me when I say I will never willingly bring harm to Fairy Tail, no matter what my actions or inactions may bring. This has been in the making for years now, Mira-chan. It's too late to nip this in the bud peacably. The only thing now is to minimize damage, and hope everyone comes out of this relatively unscathed."

"Can't you delegate this task to someone else?" Mirajane asked, hints of desperation tinging her tone. "Must you personally do it?"

"Unfortunately," Naruto replied forlornly. He cupped Mirajane's face tenderly, staring deep into her warm eyes brimming with concern for him. He couldn't suppress a bittersweet smile. "Thank you, Mira-chan, for being so considerate. But I don't think you'll see me in the same light after this fiasco."

He pecked her on the forehead gently, before standing up, his mask tugged up to his nose once more. "Take care, Mira-chan."

Naruto vanished into thin air, leaving Mirajane alone to her thoughts.

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A large group of Magnolia Town's citizens were gathered at the south entrance of the park, whispering amongst themselves as they cast their eyes upon the gruesome sight that greeted them on that morning. Erza shoved her way through the crowd roughly, followed closely by Gray, Lucy and Natsu. As they came close enough to the large tree that everyone was staring at, they couldn't help but feel extremely shocked at the sight before them. Team Shadow Gear, consisting of Jet, Droy and Levy, were pinned high up on the trunk of the tree by metal shackles, the three injured and unconscious. Their clothes were ripped to bits, and Levy was missing her shirt. The guild emblem of Phantom Lord was inked on her abdomen, a silent taunt at Fairy Tail that didn't go unnoticed by anyone.

Natsu's rage was through the roof as he regarded the Fairy Tail guild members stuck on the tree. A fiery aura sprung up around the riled up dragon slayer as his gaze promised death for the perpetrator. Then, a large, frightening magical aura made everyone shuffle aside, as Makarov walked slowly to the scene of the crime, leaning heavily on his wooden staff. Dressed resplendently in his full mage outfit, he couldn't even find the calmness to greet a distraught Erza as he angled his eyes upwards. His entire body shuddered with repressed emotions as he covered his face with his hand. His voice, so often cheerful or perverted, was filled with a volcanic wrath that was aching to burst forth.

"Wrecking our shoddy bar I could bear with…but no parent can remain silent after seeing their children's blood…" the Wizard Saint intoned, his fist clenching so hard he crushed the staff in his hand to bits. "**This means war.**"

"Get them off the tree," Erza ordered, her voice trembling.

Natsu wasted no time clambering up the tree, ripping their bindings off one by one. Carrying them as gently as he could manage, he brought them off the tree. Mirajane, who just arrived with Cana and Elfman, gasped at the scene, her tears spilling at the terrible sight. Elfman and Cana quickly rushed forward to help Natsu and Gray carry the three mages, and as a troupe, they moved towards Magnolia Hospital. They were quickly admitted when the attendants saw the states the trio were in, and ushered to the emergency room, the rest of the guild members present were forced to wait outside while Team Shadow Gear were treated. Mirajane wringed her hands nervously, as she switched her stare between the closed doors where the attacked trio were behind, and the fuming Makarov, who was emitting magic wildly.

_Did Ráfaga know this would happen? Did he report this to Master? Master is genuinely angry…but surely Ráfaga will bring this point up to Master if he knew beforehand…_ Mirajane thought furiously, trying her very best to reaffirm her trust in Naruto. _He did say that Master wanted him to continue whatever he was doing, and not interfere…that means he knew the attack would happen, and he could prevent it. Then why would Master allow such a horrible thing to happen? What is going on behind the scenes that they don't want anyone to know?_

The ivory-haired girl watched as the master mumbled under his breath about getting some fresh air, and stalked away to another corner of the hospital. Seeing the opportunity, Mirajane ran after Makarov, to curious glances from the rest of the guild members present. She didn't care however; there were more pressing matters at hand. Catching up to the short Wizard Saint was easy. As Mirajane prepared to speak, she realised that Makarov had anticipated their conversation; they were in an empty area of the hospital that was out of earshot of anyone.

"Ráfaga told me some things yesterday night," she began, only to be interrupted by Makarov's raised palm. "Mira, let me explain, okay?"

She nodded quickly. The guild master of Fairy Tail sucked in a deep breath. "Stupid brat shouldn't even have told you anything, but I guess it's too late now. I gave Naruto a task a few years ago that has something to do with all this. I've asked him to continue the task now, even though I knew of the risks that he highlighted to me when we last spoke. Don't blame him for following orders. He's not happy about the situation either. But for his sake, and for our guild's sake, I had to allow for these unfortunate circumstances to occur. It pains me to say this, but the attack on Team Shadow Gear was necessary. I don't condone it, and Phantom has gone too far on this, but it was necessary."

"How can this be for our sakes, for his sake?" Mirajane cried. "How can three of our guild members landing in hospital be anything good?!"

"He's doing a very dangerous job right now, one that with a wrong step on our part, will end up with his death," Makarov replied darkly. Mirajane gasped, her eyes widening at Makarov's words. The guild master chuckled bitterly. "You know, he offered to attack Jose alone on our behalf."

"What…?" Mirajane mumbled, astonished. "That's suicide!"

"That's what I told him too," Makarov said, a hint of pride in his voice. "He didn't say it, but I was sure if I gave him the order, he would do so gladly, without a second thought. He would probably even renounce his connections to Fairy Tail just to prevent us from getting dragged into conflict with Phantom, or get into trouble with the Council for starting a war."

"That's insane!" Mirajane whispered harshly, afraid to raise her voice lest others hear. Makarov nodded in agreement. "That's why I told him we will let Phantom do something so drastic that we have the justification to…no, that we have the _obligation_ to fight back. We will follow their plans to their specifications, then as they try and try but fail to wipe us out, we'll spit on those plans and turn the tables on them."

"Master, will Ráfaga be safe then?" Mirajane asked, worry seeping into her tone. Makarov shot the beautiful young woman an unreadable glance as he began walking back to the hospital.

"I think that's going to be the least of his concerns by the end of this war."

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Oak Town was the home of Phantom Lord. Inside their lavish guild, various members of the guild were cheering and celebrating the successful attack on Fairy Tail. They held no love for their rival guild, and were more than pleased at having exacted a measure of vengeance for the guild that always seemed to show them up despite Phantom Lord's greater history and pedigree. Laughing and joking at the cruel expense of fellow magic practitioners, one of their brethren walked towards the doors of the guild, ready to leave on a mission. As he reached the wooden doors, he was blown backwards by a powerful force that smashed the doors to splinters, sending wood flying everywhere.

Phantom Lord members quickly rose from their seats, angered by what seemed to be an assault on their guild. As the cloud of dust cloaking the entrance of the headquarters blew away, it revealed a group of furious mages, all emblazoned with the guild emblem of Fairy Tail. Before the stunned Phantom mages could react to the intrusion, Natsu Dragneel gathered an intense flame in his fist, before he blew past a half dozen mages, calling out a challenge to them.

Themselves enraged by the sudden attack, the Phantom Lord members retaliated. Charging towards Natsu, they then realised exactly how badly outmatched they were, as the Fairy Tail mages, empowered by their righteous feelings, dominated the Phantom members with embarrassing ease. A couple of them, possessing a modicum of strategic thinking, charged at Makarov Dreyar. Cutting off the nead of the snake would ensure victory, they thought. They forgot that this particular head was one of the Ten Wizard Saints, as Makarov transformed into a giant, crushing the offenders under his palm.

"**You bastards brought the fight to the children of this monster,**" Makarov rumbled, his anger visceral. "**Don't even for a second think you'll be protected by human laws.**"

Phantom Lord members panicked as they found themselves being pushed back entirely too quickly for their tastes. It wasn't even the master of Fairy Tail doing most of the beating; the regular members were just as imperious and seemingly untouchable. Makarov hollered for his counterpart's presence, while in the midst of battle, Erza Scarlet wondered worriedly where the more powerful members of Phantom Lord were hiding. Up in the rafters, Gajeel Redfox observed the fight, a smug smirk plastered on his face.

"That's Erza the Titania. Laxus and Mystogan aren't joining the attack force…" Gajeel mused aloud, his smirk widening to a full-blown grin. "But…I didn't expect Master Jose's plan to work this well…go ahead, be your reckless selves…scum…"

Below, Makarov shrunk back to his regular size, as he shouted across the room. "Erza! I'm leaving you in charge here! Jose is probably at the top floor. I'm going to tear him a new one."

"Take care," Erza called out through the din.

Makarov walked up the stairs of the Phantom Lord guild, leaving his children to carry on the fight against the regular members of Phantom Lord. This was Gajeel's signal, as the man cackled, jumping off his perch in the rafters to smash an iron club against the head of foes and allies alike. The Fairy Tail mages, so used to camaraderie of the highest order, couldn't believe their eyes as the Phantom Lord Ace took out his own men with no remorse. Gajeel laughed maniacally, taunting the members of Fairy Tail to take him on.

Elfman accepted the challenge, cocking his _Beast Arm_ back as he prepared to punch Gajeel into oblivion. The dragon slayer was equal to the attack, blocking with an iron club that sprouted from his hand. Gajeel chuckled as he shot his right fist forwards, another iron club extending from his hand. Elfman ducked under the blow, but before he could retaliate, he was forced to shift his head quickly as Gajeel threw another punch. His reflexes far from dull, Elfman then caught the iron rod that extended from Gajeel's right foot in his _Beast Arm_. Slighly impressed, Gajeel complimented the imposing man on his skills, before firing off multiple iron clubs from his feet. Elfman let go of Gajeel's foot, and strafed to the side, but the dragon slayer's guild members were not so lucky.

Clucking his tongue at his useless comrades, he fired off a powerful club at Elfman's midsection, faster than he did before. Taken by surprise, the big man flew backwards. As he careened across the guild, Natsu stepped on his big frame, using it as a launch pad to blast himself at Gajeel, his fists coated in his flames. Gajeel was hit smack on the jaw by Natsu and sent flying. Elfman reprimanded Natsu for interfering with the fight that Elfman had not backed out of, but they abruptly stopped their argument when Gajeel recovered quickly, a wide smirk plastered on his features. He threw his fist forwards, a huge iron rod erupting from his fist to pound Natsu in the torso. The dragon slayer gritted his teeth as he hung on, clinging to the rod with all his life.

Then, with an almighty roar, he tossed Gajeel upwards, sending the man spinning head over heels. Gajeel halted his ascent by grabbing onto the rafters, but before he could respond, Natsu was in his face, anger burning fiercely in his eyes. Flaming fists smashed into Gajeel's chin, sending the man flying once more, as Natsu landed on the ground safely. Gajeel, unharmed despite the powerful attack, extended small daggers from his feet as he anchored himself upside down on a wooden beam, taunting Natsu. The two dragon slayers traded barbs, but before they could continue their engagement, they were sidetracked by the furious shaking of the Phantom Lord guild building.

Everyone of Phantom Lord wondered exactly what was causing the earthquake, but Fairy Tail members only laughed at their ignorance. Erza couldn't help but smirk at the unknowing Phantom mages, her confidence in victory sky high. "This is Master Makarov's fury. A giant's fury…no one can stop."

"That's the man, our Master Makarov," Elfman added, an assured grin on his face. "Prepare yourself! As long as we have him, we won't lose!"

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Lucy sighed as she watched over the bedridden members of Team Shadow Gear. Wrapped in bandages and still unconscious, they weren't a pretty sight. Lucy could feel even her mild temper flaring as she recalled the friendliness of the trio, when they approached her about her writing. Undoubtedly, Natsu had spread the rumours of her aspirations after their first mission together, but even if she felt embarrassed by the attention from Levy, Jet and Droy, she found herself appreciating their wholehearted support.

"Levy-chan…Jet…Droy…" Lucy murmured their names, her eyes downcast. "This is too cruel…Phantom…I cannot forgive them…"

Wiping the tears that gathered at the edges of her large eyes, Lucy bade her unconscious friends farewell as she made her way out of the hospital to Fairy Tail's headquarters. Upon arrival, she found the place bereft of members. Everyone was gone, likely on a rampage towards Phantom Lord to exact some vengeance for their despicable actions against Team Shadow Gear. Disappointed at being left behind, Lucy wandered aimlessly around the empty streets of Magnolia Town, lamenting her uselessness. Then, in spite of the bright sun, rain suddenly poured from the sky. Startled, Lucy gazed up at the downpour, before her attention was caught by a figure walking towards her slowly.

The blue-haired woman was holding up a pink umbrella as she walked in Lucy's direction, stopping when she met the blond girl. "Steady and silently…yes, Juvia brings rain, steady and silently…"

"Huh?" Lucy mumbled, confused by the girl's actions as she tried desperately to shield herself from the rain with her hands. The girl blinked, before asking Lucy a strange question. "What do you bring?"

"Erm, who are you?" Lucy questioned, utterly bewildered. The girl spun on her heels, walking away from Lucy. "I had fun, farewell…steady and silently…"

"What was that all about?" Lucy groused, puzzled by the girl's strange behaviour. Then, out of nowhere, a man's voice rang out, cutting through the pitter-patter of the rain. "Non, non, non. Non, non, non. Non, non, non, non, non, non, non. Bonjour, with non in a three-three-seven rhythm~~"

"Another weirdo?" Lucy recoiled, not sure what to do in the situation. The man then ignored Lucy, turning to address the umbrella-carrying girl. "Juvia-sama, you can't just walk away from your mission."

"Monsieur Sol," Juvia greeted monotonously. The one named Sol tilted his head until horizontal with the ground, his French accent hard to understand for Lucy through the sound of the sudden rain. "My monocle is whispering to me that _madamoiselle_ over there is none other than our precious _sible_."

"Oh my, she's the one?" Juvia swivelled her head to observe Lucy. Lucy took a step back as the two people turned fully to face her. "Huh?"

"Pardon my manners. I am Sol. You may address me as Monsieur Sol," the man introduced himself to Lucy. "We've come from the great Phantom Lord to welcome you."

"Juvia is a member of the Element Four, who brings rain," Juvia added.

"Phantom? Y-You're the ones that attacked Levy-chan!" Lucy denounced, her hands going for the keys that hung from her belt. Before she could summon any of her spirits to aid her in battle, however, a sphere of water suddenly engulfed her, trapping her within its confines. The strange man twirled his mustache. "Non, non, non. I'd like to clear up your misunderstanding with three nons. Wrecking the guild, attacking Levy-sama; all these acts were performed by Gajeel-sama. Though, it is true that this was done through a consensus in our guild."

Attempting to stick her head out of the ball of water for a breath of air was an act of futility. Even more water joined the sphere to enlarge it, thus forcing Lucy to rely on whatever oxygen she had left in her lungs. Juvia had her empty hand raised at the sphere, looking completely lifeless. "Juvia's _Water Lock_ cannot be broken."

"Mmmm! _Tres bien_!" Sol exclaimed, as Lucy slowly lost consciousness from the lack of air. Juvia stared coolly at the barely awake blonde in the water. "Do not worry…Juvia will not kill you, for it is Juvia's duty to bring you back…Lucy Heartfilia-sama."

"Mmm! _Victoire_!" Sol declared in triumph, as Juvia allowed herself a small smile.

"Capture complete."

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Crackling with energy that destroyed inanimate objects just by walking past them, Makarov Dreyar was extremely imposing despite his small frame. He trudged his way towards the throne like seat where Jose Porla was, his fury unmatched. "**Jose…what the hell do you think you're doing? Huh?**"

"Why, hello there. Long time no see, Makarov-san," Jose Porla, master of Phantom Lord, greeted rather jovially. "It must've been since the regular meeting six years ago…boy, was I so stumped that time…I must have overdid it with the _sake…_"

Makarov crushed a giant fist into Jose from above, causing the whole building to shudder and creak. "**I'm not here to reminisce with you, Jose...**"

"Hohoho…" the Phantom master chuckled, as his form flickered, unharmed. "My, oh my…"

"You…are already gone from this building?!" Makarov shouted, startled by his counterpart's cowardly use of a _Thought Projection_ to face him. The image of Jose smirked at his opponent knowingly. "A battle among two of the Ten Wizard Saints can cause extraordinary natural occurrences. I prefer a rational and simple victory."

"Where are you?!" Makarov yelled, his anger through the roof. "Come and fight me fair and square!"

Another _Thought Projection_ flickered to life, but instead of someone from Phantom Lord, it displayed Lucy Heartfilia, unconscious and her hands tightly bound by rope. "Lucy? Why…"

As Jose raised a knife in his hand, a diabolical grin plastered on his face, Makarov's protective instincts flared up. He yelled as he stepped forwards, but even he knew that it was the wrong move to make. He knew in his mind it was all an image; that Lucy was not in front of him, but elsewhere in Phantom Lord's grasp. No matter how hard he tried, he would never be able to stop Jose from killing Lucy if he wished to. But his heart told him to reach out to the blonde girl, and it was a mistake he was punished for harshly. A man materialized behind Makarov, stunning the elderly mage with his presence. Makarov cursed his foolish self, having not detected the man's presence at all.

The man, head covered in a top hat, had a piece of black cloth covering his eyes. Bigger than even Elfman, he was draped in a large, high-collar coat that was a plain forest green. Underneath the coat were white priestly robes, and a scarf was hung loosely from his neck, decorated with archaic glyphs. The man laughed maniacally, clapping his palms together as he covered them with a soft white glow. Then, he hit Makarov in the chest as the Wizard Saint turned to face his foe, sending the man flying towards the images of Jose and Lucy. Makarov gaped as he tried his best, but was unable to find his magic. _What is this?! I can't use my powers?!_

"Hohoho…there's no way we'll kill Lucy-sama, right? At least, not yet…" the image of Jose chuckled. "Please don't tell me you don't know who Lucy Heartfilia-sama is while she belongs to your guild. Well, I guess it's none of your business any more…"

"What arrogance!" the man proclaimed, his insane laughter filling the room. "Such arrogance to march into our guild and demand Lucy-sama from us! Pride shall be your downfall!"

To the shock of all the Fairy Tail members fighting on the first storey below, the top floor exploded in a shower of debris. Makarov fell from the skies, hitting the ground with a loud thump. All his guild members stared at the scene with great horror, as Makarov struggled to get up. "M-My…m-my magic p-power…is g-gone…"

"Master! Master, hang in there!" Erza shouted worriedly, rushing over to cradle the old man. Members of Fairy Tail were just as bemused as Phantom Lord's. Only Gajeel seemed to know anything, as he smirked triumphantly. "Tch. Fun's over already? Aria's too damn efficient."

"W-What's going on? I don't sense any magic from the Master!"

"Does that mean he's just a plain old geezer now?"

"Impossible, how can Master Makarov be beaten?"

"Excellent, now their battle prowess has been reduced by half!"

"What on earth…happened upstairs?"

"Old man!"

"Now, crush them!"

Erza pondered her options quickly, taking only a moment to swipe away the tears that were gathering at the corner of her left eye. _No…it's not only our battle strength that's been reduced. Our battle morale has dropped through the ground…_ "Retreat! Back to the guild!"

Various voices of protest rang out in the guild hall of Phantom Lord, the Fairy Tail members citing their ability to continue battling. Erza, however, knew better. "We cannot defeat Jose without our master! He left me in charge here, and this is an order! Retreat!"

"My, my, going home already?" Gajeel laughed creepily. Another man materialized out of nowhere, standing atop the beam where Gajeel was attached beneath. "So disgraceful…"

"Aria…you're crazy as always," Gajeel commented casually. "I'm surprised that you defeated that geezer."

"All part of Master Jose's plan," Aria of the Element Four responded, before bursting into laughter. "Wonderful!"

"Don't laugh at everything, you nutter," Gajeel muttered, as he flipped up to sit on the beam that Aria was standing upon. "So? Did we capture that Lucy girl?"

Natsu's ears twitched as he heard the familiar name. Aria nodded, before dissolving into peals of crazed laughter. "Of course! We've confined her at our guild headquarters!"

"What!" Natsu exclaimed. "Gajeel!"

"Let's settle this some other time, Salamander," Gajeel smirked down at the fire-breathing mage. With a swing of his arm, Aria and Gajeel vanished the way Aria arrived, leaving no trace of their presence. As the rest of his guild members ran and Phantom mages chased after them, Natsu grabbed a Phantom member, and started dragging him away from the rest. As he struggled, Happy flew after his best friend. "Natsu! What are you trying to do! Erza said to retreat!"

"What do you think? I'm going to save Lucy!" Natsu declared, even as his guild mates stumbled away from Phantom Lord and Oak Town, Erza even having to drag Gray away from battle.

Elsewhere, Jose Porla deactivated his _Thought Projection_, smirking over the body of Lucy. "Aria-san's _Sealing Script Magic_ allows him to take away an opponent's power, and his _Air Magic_ ensures he won't be found when he doesn't want people to discover his presence. This victory…is ours."

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Lucy moaned as she woke up, her face and body cold. She shivered as her eyes flitted open, observing her surroundings. It was rather unfamiliar to the girl, having never been thrown into jail before. The cold stone floor, walls and ceiling were a dreary grey, while the steel door told her she wasn't about to escape any time soon. As she wracked her fuzzy mind to find out exactly what had transpired to have her end up in jail, a man outside the door called out her name.

"Who is that?" Lucy shouted, as the door creaked open, revealing a tall, middle-aged man. He was dressed in a short, elaborate cape, a wizard's hat emblazoned with the Phantom Lord insignia, and had two bat-like wings sprouting from his back. His striped pants and calf-high jester shoes gave him a strange outwardly appearance, but even so, Lucy could tell he possessed a huge amount of power. The man folded his arms as he introduced himself to Lucy. "I am Phantom Lord's guild master, Jose Porla."

"Phantom!" Lucy exclaimed, as her mind filled in the blanks. _That's right…I was captured by two of the Element Four!_

"I apologise for tying you up and putting you in this filthy jail, but you're still a captive. Please try to understand," the man gestured at the cell in mild distaste. Lucy, enraged, struggled against her bonds. "Untie me! Who's a captive! How dare you do all that to Levy-chan and all the others?!"

"Depending on your attitude, we might treat you as a VIP instead of a captive," Jose continued, unfazed by Lucy's outburst. The blonde girl was about to shout some more, until a centipede crawled up her naked thigh, making the girl squawk in terror, knocking the critter off her leg and shuffling backwards quickly. Jose smirked at her reaction. "See? You don't really want to stay in jail. If you behave, we'll move you to a suite room, something far more accommodating for a young, beautiful girl like yourself."

"W-Why did you attack us?" Lucy questioned, trying to puzzle out the entire situation.

"Us? Ah, you mean Fairy Tail," Jose grinned odiously. "That was an extra. Just an extra. Our true objective was to get hold of a certain individual. That certain individual happened to belong to Fairy Tail, so we thought, why not kill two birds with one stone?"

"A certain individual?" Lucy echoed, utterly lost.

Jose shook his head in dismay as he stepped forwards. "You're so slow that I almost can't believe you are a daughter of the Heartfilia family. Who else could we be after? Daughter of the Heartfilia conglomerate, Lucy Heartfilia-sama."

"H-How did you know about that?" Lucy muttered, her secret out in the open. Jose chuckled, crossing his arms once more. "I heard you were hiding your social standing in the guild. I don't know why the daughter of one of the richest men in the country chooses to undertake cheap and dangerous jobs as a mage but…"

"So, then…you kidnapped me for ransom?" Lucy inferred. Jose laughed, shaking his head. "Oh, no, don't be absurd. It was none other than your father, who requested to get you."

"No…lies…why would he…why did he…" Lucy trembled, disbelief filling her veins.

"Isn't it normal that when a pretty daughter runs away from home, people will search for her?" Jose replied flippantly. Lucy growled, somehow offended by the guild master's words. "He wouldn't! He would never bother with that! I won't go back! I'll never go back to such a home!"

"My, my, what a troublesome lady you are," Jose clucked his tongue in mild disapproval.

"Release me at once," Lucy demanded fiercely.

"I can't do that," Jose riposted without a beat.

"But I need to use the restroom," Lucy argued. That incited a bout of laughter from Jose. "Such a classic excuse, isn't it?"

"No, I mean, I can't hold it anymore…" Lucy grimaced, squeezing her thighs together. Jose pointed at a rusty metal bucket beside the girl, to her consternation. "Go ahead…hohoho, it's such a classic excuse that you won't catch us offguard with it."

"A bucket, huh…" Lucy grumbled, standing up to reach her panties underneath her skirt easier. Jose's eyes bulged out in shock as he watched the girl slowly remove her underwear. Resisting the urge to watch, the guild master's face contorted in various uncomfortable ways, before he spun around, huffing. "W-What a shameless lady! And I'm such a gentleman…"

Lucy's eyes held a malicious glint within them as she swung her leg up as hard as she could, right between Jose's legs. The man was lifted a few inches off the ground as he yeowled in excruciating pain, before collapsing on the cold cell floor, half comatose. Lucy grinned victoriously as hse saw the sorry state of the powerful man, crumpled on the ground after one good hit. "A classic strategy isn't so bad after all. I'll use it in my novel next time. Well, be good~~"

She stumbled towards her cell door, walking awkwardly thanks to her bonds. Then, a gust of wind ruffled her long blonde hair as she stared out at the bright sky. Looking down, she only saw herself standing at a great height from the ground, completely different from her expectations. Her shock was punctuated by Jose's mocking laughter as the man struggled to stand up. "Pity…isn't it? This…is our sky prison…"

He inched towards Lucy, who turned her back to the open skies as she stared in horror at the approaching Jose. The man had a disturbing smirk on his face as he came closer. "How dare…how dare you do that to me…now, come to me. It's punishment time…I have to teach you the atrociousness of the Phantom."

Lucy made a decision, and she pressed her eyelids tightly as she leaned backwards, falling off the edge of the sky prison. Jose gaped at the girl's insane actions, while Lucy bit her lip as she prayed for salvation. _I heard his voice…I'm sure…I'm sure he's here…_ "NATSU!"

As she dived headfirst to the ground, an impossibly strong person suddenly tackled her in the midsection. The comforting smell of ash was enough to make Lucy feel absolutely safe, even as she and the other person tumbled around like crazy, before smashing into a wall. Happy gasped at the scene in awe. "Lucy fell from the sky! Is she an angel?"

"This is absurd!" Natsu shouted, his voice muffled by Lucy's prodigious bust that was pressing on his face. Lucy laughed in pure relief as she grinned happily at her first friend in Fairy Tail. "I knew it! I knew you'd be there to catch me!"

"Your breasts…" Natsu mumbled in mild embarrassment, as Lucy shuffled off the pink-haired dragon slayer. He sat up and began untying the blonde girl. "Are you okay?"

"Yea…sorta…" Lucy smiled weakly, rubbing her bruised wrists. Happy cheered. "Great! Let's head back to the guild now!"

"Huh? We're at their headquarters here, right? So…" Natsu trailed off, the remainder of his sentence obvious given his constant desire to fight. Happy frowned at his usual partner in crime. "Erza asked us to retreat though!"

Natsu scoffed. "She's just scared! I'm not scared of these guys at all!"

"Master is seriously injured too," Happy pointed out, and Natsu took that as motivation, slamming his fist into his palm. "We'll avenge the old man too!"

As the blue cat and pink-haired fire wielder argued about whether to return to Fairy Tail, Lucy couldn't help but recall all the horrible scenes that had led to this point. Tears leaked from her eyes as she crouched down, trying desperately to hide them from Natsu. _The guild, destroyed…Levy-chan, Jet and Droy in the hospital…Master Makarov, seriously injured…_ "Sorry…I'm sorry…"

"But I…still want to stay in the guild…I love Fairy Tail…" Lucy sniffled, to Natsu and Happy's confusion. "Hey, hey, what's the matter? You can stay! Wait, what's wrong with you…?"

"Natsu…let's head back," Happy suggested, at a loss on how to comfort Lucy. The dragon slayer came to a similar conclusion, frowning as his grand plan of busting into Phantom Lord's guild headquarters and beating everyone up was foiled. "O-Okay…let's do that…"

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Deep in the East Forest of Magnolia, Porlyusica watched over Makarov Dreyar as the man lay in the bed, sweating profusely. He was unconscious, and seemed to be suffering greatly. Alzack and Bisca had brought him over to the healer and former Fairy Tail guild member, hoping that the elderly woman could do something for their master. Porlyusica glanced at the intricate script that was placed surreptitiously on Makarov's chest, too small for most to notice when they were far more worried about his sudden lack of magical power. Sighing, she turned to the worried pair that accompanied Makarov to her home.

He rushed into things without considering his age, and look at him now…really, such a fool," Porlyusica chided her old teammate, before shooting a glare at the two Fairy Tail members. "How long are you two going to stay here?! Go home already!"

"No…but, we're worried about him…" Alzack exclaimed. Bisca nodded, agreeing with her comrade's assertions. "Please allow us to look after him!"

"Go home. Those worried faces are like rubbing salt into the patient's wounds," Porlyusica scowled, denying their request bluntly. Alzack and Bisca exchanged uneasy glances as Porlyusica continued. "This is a form of magic not even I have much experience with…I'll need a bit more time to examine him before I can tell you anything about his condition."

"I-Is that so…" Alzack murmured, disappointed at the lack of information. Bisca was similarly downcast. "We'll tell everyone then…"

"What are you still doing here for?!" Porlyusica yelled, as she grabbed her wooden broom. The two Fairy Tail mages recoiled at her rude demeanour. "B-But…I thought you wanted us to continue hearing you out!"

"Go home already! You humans stink!" Porlyusica chased them out of her home, waving her broom like a madwoman. Alzack and Bisca beat a hasty retreat, running off back in the direction of Magnolia Town even as they apologized to the volatile healer. When they were far away, enough to be out of earshot, Porlyusica sighed deeply, smacking her broom on the head of someone who walked into view. The blond man cringed, holding his head as she then smacked him on the head a few more times. "You fool! What did you do all of this for?!"

"Do you know how much I wanted to just ignore his orders and do what I want to do?" Uzumaki Naruto groaned, as he recovered instantly from Porlyusica's barrage. "I had to do it to make it believeable, otherwise the ruse would have been pointless. The fever and other symptoms are really just the side effects of having his magical power suppressed. Given he has so much, it's bound to be bad for his system when there's no access to the usual pool of magic. Once the counter seal arrives, he'll be fine and dandy in minutes."

"You're risking a lot for something you don't need to do," Porlyusica remarked, as she stared at her bedridden old friend with fond exasperation. "Why do you let this old coot order you around anyway?"

"I dug the pit the moment I stepped into Fairy Tail, Porlyusica-san," Naruto rubbed the back of his head. "And since I'm already waist deep in the crap, why not go the whole hog? The only one with anything to lose is me anyway. I can accept that, if it means everyone in Fairy Tail is alive and well. I left the counter seal with someone. He'll bring it around when the time is right."

"You mean with Mystogan, right?" Porlyusica huffed, knowing about the blond ninja's apprentice. Naruto chuckled, nodding sheepishly. "Yep. He's doing something really important now, but will be crucial to Fairy Tail's success. Once he's complete with his mission, it'll be just the right time for the old man to recover and tear Jose a new hole as he promised."

"Whatever, just don't drag me into your little human conflicts," Porlyusica scoffed. "Now SHOO!"

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Back in the headquarters of Fairy Tail, everyone was licking their wounds. The injured were getting patched up, while those with a modicum of mobility moved about helping the rest. Some of them were reviewing a map of Fiore, making preparations for a more strategic attack, rather than the haphazard frontal charge they tried before. Others were collecting as much equipment as they could, trying to even the odds with the far more numerous Phantom mages, the Element Four, their Ace Gajeel Redfox and a Wizard Saint in Jose Porla. Lucy looked at the bustling guild, feeling extremely guilty about her role in the mess they found themselves in. Gray and Elfman approached her, a carefree smile on their faces to try and ease her self-reproach.

"What's up? Still worried?" Gray asked casually.

"No, it's not that…" Lucy mumbled, staring downwards guiltily. "It's just…I'm sorry…"

"Well, daughters from rich families are destined to be targeted, and it's a man's duty to protect them," Elfman contributed his pearls of manly wisdom. Gray glared at his comrade. "Don't say things like that."

"But I'm surprised too," Happy chirped. "Lucy, why were you hiding it?"

"I wasn't so much as hiding it…but I ran away from home, so I didn't feel like talking about it…" Lucy explained, still upset at her role in the chaos. "He didn't care about the daughter who ran away from home for about a year, and now he suddenly wants me home. Papa did that so that he can get me back…he's horrible. Though, all of this happened because I ran away from home in the first place, right?"

"N-No, that's not right! Papa is the bad one," Elfman quickly reassured the distraught girl, earning an elbow from Gray. "Ah, I mean Phantom!"

"Because of my selfish actions…I can't believe I caused so much trouble for everyone…" Lucy apologized, struggling to keep tears from falling again. "I'm really sorry. Everything will go back to normal once I go back home, right?"

"Is that so?" Natsu retorted. Lucy looked up at the pink-haired mage, who grinned widely. "I mean, the term 'lady' doesn't really suit you, does it? You fit better in this dirty bar, laughing and merrily going out on adventures with the rest of us. You said…you said you wanted to stay here. What good will it be if you go back to a place that you hate?"

"You're Lucy of Fairy Tail, right? This is your home," Natsu declared, as the bittersweet tears Lucy so desperately tried to hold back started to fall. Gray and Elfman panicked at the sight of teardrops, as they quickly tried to comfort her. As the trio of men and one winged cat surrounded the blonde girl, who found herself so very glad to be a part of Fairy Tail, a brown-haired mage watched the group with mild trepidation and regret. Loke left the group to their own devices, knowing Lucy would be fine under their care.

In another part of the damaged guild hall, Cana was trying to read her tarot cards, but with no apparent success. Growling, she tossed her useless cards aside. "It's useless! I can't find Mystogan or Ráfa-nii!"

Mirajane sighed, already knowing that Ráfaga would not be found that easily. "I see…that's too bad."

"If their target is Lucy, then they'll come to attack us again," Cana thought out loud. "Many are injured…we're in a tough spot."

Mirajane bit her bottom lip, wondering if the attacks were really just about Lucy. _Both Master and Ráfaga said this has been a long time coming, and they had anticipated this would happen years ago…Lucy wasn't even with us a year ago. What exactly is happening?_ Shaking her errant thoughts aside, Mirajane decided to address the man connected to the communication lacrima. "Master is seriously wounded. We cannot find Mystogan…you're our only hope now, Laxus. Please come back. It's an emergency."

"Huh?' Laxus snorted, laughing uproariously before he settled into a carefree smirk. "Serves that shitty old geezer right! It doesn't concern me. Go ahead and take care of it yourself."

"Laxus! You!" Cana exclaimed, but before she could continue chastising Laxus, the blond man spoke. "Isn't that how it is? The old geezer started this fight. Why do I have to clean up his mess?"

"Lucy, our guild mate, is being targeted," Mirajane said desperately. Laxus looked serious as he considered Mirajane's words. "Huh, who's that? Ah…that big-boobed newbie, huh."

"Tell her if she becomes my woman, I'll help out," Laxus grinned lecherously. "And tell that geezer to hurry up and retire so he can give me the master's position."

"How dare you…" Cana seethed at the horrendous attitude of the S-class mage. Laxus laughed, amused by his comrades' helplessness. "Hey, hey, is this how you talk to someone when you want to ask them for a favour? Why don't you just strip for me? I'm pretty weak for sexy-"

His last words were cut off as the communication lacrima shattered into pieces. Cana stared at the back of Mirajane, worried for the bargirl. Mirajane couldn't halt the hot tears that streamed from her eyes as she clenched her fists, trembling from anger and outrage. "I cannot believe it…is such a person…really a member of Fairy Tail…?"

"Fine, next time, I'll fight too!" Mirajane declared, stalking off. Cana, stunned, called out. "W-What are you talking about?"

"'Cause I was in town, but Lucy got kidnapped, so-" Mirajane began, but she was interrupted by a heavy hand on her shoulder. Cana stared at the oldest Strauss seriously. "I don't like to say this, but you'll be a burden to the others in your current situation…even if you are a former S-class mage. Ráfa-nii will kill me if I let you get hurt. Bastard ought to be here protecting you himself though…"

Mirajane was left speechless, before she crumpled into an intact chair, holding her face in her hands as the world seemed to crumble slowly but inevitably around them.

_Ráfaga…where are you when we need you? When I need you?_

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At first glance, the Fairy Tail guild building was in shambles after Gajeel Redfox's attack. However, the man was no expert at construction, and in fact had done little in terms of extreme strutural damage. It was a relief for Erza to find the showers unharmed, as she stepped into the female shower room to wash the grime off her body. She knew it was hardly the time to be taking a shower when the guild was on the verge of destruction, but she found the shower soothing and helpful for her thought processes. They were not very optimistic thoughts, though.

_Master's absence…as well as Laxus and Mystogan's…we have too many injured. It's impossible to continue this fight any further…_ Erza thought, gritting her teeth as she punched the shower stall wall in her frustration and self-loathing. _If only…if only I went with him! Pathetic! It's all my fault!_

A sudden tremor threw her off her train of thought. Quickly wrapping a towel around her slender body, she rushed out of the bathroom, only to stand beside all her despairing guild members as they stared at the giant, six-legged walking guild that approached them from Lake Sciliora. Erza's observant eyes caught sight of the cannon emerging from the front of the Phantom building, something that had stunned the rest of the guild into inaction and disbelief. Her eyes widening in horror, she turned to face her guild members. "This is bad! Everybody, GET DOWN!

With due haste, she turned back to face the cannon that was gathering a gigantic amount of magic power. Her towel fell off as a bright glow aurrounded her body, before an elaborate suit of armour sprung up around her. Everyone cried out for her to stop, but she stood firm in the face of obliteration. Erza repeated her warning as she bravely met the cannon fire, a giant beam of light that boiled the water it blasted past to steam instantaneously. Erza screamed as the beam was stopped before her, coalescing into a large sphere of light that struggled to break apart her _Adamantine Armour_. But no armour was meant to stop a cannon of that magnitude, and slowly, her armour was chipped away until it shattered.

But her sacrifice had not been in vain, as the beam lost its force. Blowing Erza back, she smashed into Fairy Tail's building with a sickening thud.

"ERZA!"


	11. Chapter 10: Phantom Lord II

**Author's Notes:** Well, the addition of canon (and how things are developing in the same way despite Naruto's presence) seems to have turned off some people. It's okay, I'm not forcing anyone to read my story. I enjoy writing it, and if you guys enjoy reading it then great. If not, well, you can always read other stories on the site that are far superior to my own.

At this point, I wish I could give all of you good news on the progress of chapter 16, but life has thrown me a few distractions. I hope I can get it sorted by the time I upload chapter 15.

I'm going to add an explanation for the way the story progressed in this arc, right at the end of the chapter. If you find this arc developing in a manner you think doesn't make sense, do give my explanation a read. If you still feel aggrieved, then I have nothing else to offer. I won't revamp my story, but if the day comes when I lose interest in it, you can always adopt it and do it the way you think is right. Heck, if you wanted to, just drop me a PM and I'll gladly give you permission to use the ideas in this story. It'll be nice to see a better writer take my initial concept to a higher level. Ideas are meant to be shared anyway, to benefit the community as a whole.

Oh, and I killed the forum. I'll just reply to your reviews via PM.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto or Fairy Tail.

* * *

**Chapter 10: Phantom Lord II (X784)**

A loudspeaker from the Phantom Lord headquarters blared out as Natsu rushed over to Erza's fallen body. "**After Makarov…now even Erza is unable to fight too. You don't stand a chance. Hand over Lucy Heartfilia-sama right now.**"

"You're out of your mind!"

"Where in the world would you find a guild that offers up a comrade to an enemy?!"

"Lucy's our comrade!"

"That's right!"

"Go back!"

We won't hand over Lucy!"

The voice behind the loudspeaker sounded extremely annoyed at the resistance posed by the Fairy Tail members. "**Hand her over.**"

"We'd rather die than give up on our comrade!" Erza yelled at the top of her lungs, despite the strain it placed on her damaged body. Lucy brought her hand to her mouth as she choked back a grateful sob, while the rest of her guild mates roared in approval at Erza's words. Natsu's temper near volcanic, he couldn't help but throw in his own two cents. "Our answer won't change no matter what! We'll take you down!"

"**I see…**" the voice murmured, before the man shouted into his microphone. "**Then we'll fire off an even bigger and stronger ****_Jupiter_****! Now struggle in this fifteen minute period of terror while it's being reloaded!**"

Even as he spoke, hundreds of cloaked warriors jumped off the edge of Phantom Lord's building, and landed adroitly on the lake surface. They charged towards the battered Fairy Tail members, who looked uneasy at the insurmountable odds they were facing. A sense of helplessness fell upon them as they could only watch the approaching army in anguish. As the speakphone blasted out another death threat, Fairy Tail was disgusted by his apparent willingness to sacrifice his own men for absolute victory. That was until Cana recognised the cloaked mages that rapidly approached them as a part of Jose's _Shade_ magic, and merely wraiths summoned by Jose to do battle.

That demoralised the already distressed guild even more, until Natsu stood up and declared his intentions to stop _Jupiter_. Without another word, Happy grabbed his partner and they swooped across the skies, above the shades and went straight for the Phantom building. Gray and Elfman were not ones to sit out, and they too, rushed towards the guild that had cause them so much pain and heartache these past few days. Cana and Loke stood firm on the banks of Lake Sciliora, taking charge of the situation as they prepared to do battle with the shade warriors until the rest could defeat _Jupiter_. Behind them, Mirajane was pulling Lucy along towards a hideout, but the girl refused.

"I have to fight with the others too!" Lucy declared. "It's my fault this happened!"

"No…I don't think it's your fault," Mirajane shook her head, recalling Makarov and Ráfaga's cryptic words. Grabbing Lucy's hand firmly, she tried to reassure the girl. "No one thinks it's your fault, Lucy. For our comrades who have been defeated, for our guild, and to protect you…everyone's proud of this war. So, please listen to me."

Mirajane was infinitely glad for Ráfaga's help with the next spell she was about to perform, as she raised her hand to Lucy's head. The _Sleep Magic_ took effect quickly, as the girl fell unconscious in moments. Calling for Reedus' help, the _Pict Magic_ user drew a carriage on his magically stretched and flattened abdomen, before materialising it into an actual horse and carriage. The man took Lucy in his arms, and hopped into the magical carriage as they rode off to the hideout. Mirajane looked at the retreating vehicle, before she transformed into a fascimile copy of Lucy. _I might not have any more power left for combat, but…I'll protect my comrades at any cost! This is the way of Fairy Tail!_

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Natsu frowned as he hammered the large cannon head futilely, unable to damage the massive steel contraption. Happy, in spite of his silly antics at times, wisely pointed out that it might be more vulnerable from inside. With full faith in his blue partner, Natsu clambered off the top of the cannon, lowering himself into the mouth of the magical weapon. The smooth barrel (for there was no ammunition, and thus no need for rifling) was a bit too slippery for the dragon slayer, as he slid down the barrel and only stopping just before the end of the long tunnel.

He let out an involuntary gasp of awe as he studied the massive firing mechanism of _Jupiter_, with consisted of a huge black orb in the centre of a room, secured to floor and ceiling with sturdy pillars. Four receptacles with three giant electrical cables each were attached to the orb, away from the barrel. These were connected to the floor and ceiling as well, two sets per surface. Various turning gears were scattered around the room, no doubt crucial for the directional changes of the cannon. For a flying blue cat half of Natsu's age, Happy seemed far more knowledgeable about matters, recognising the orb as a giant lacrima crystal that gathered magic for the cannon to fire.

Natsu didn't understand a word that came out of Happy's mouth, but knowing it was essential for the cannon's operation was good enough for him. As he leapt off the edge of the barrel to the ground, he was confronted by a shadowed figure. Growling, he encased his fists in flames as he dashed towards the shady figure, intent on blowing him away to get to the core of _Jupiter_. Then, all of a sudden, Natsu's flaming fist smacked himself in the face, causing the man to splutter as he was thrown off his direct course to fight the guard before him. Perplexed, both Happy and Natsu glared at their opponent, who stared down at them with cold, uncaring eyes.

The hair had two tones, black and white, and was tied in a topknot. Three horizontal black bars were tattooed across his face; they went under his eyes and over the bridge of his nose. He wore a red _gi_ and black _obi_, with what resembled fur lining the edges of his top. Fishnet covered his body underneath the _gi_, and he had his sleeves rolled up to mid forearm. He wore a pair of loose pants that had their edges tucked into his black boots, and he had a simple _katana_ strapped to his left hip.

"Move! I'm going to destroy that cannon!" Natsu shouted at his opponent. The man stood umoving, unconcerned about Natsu's presence. "I said I won't let you…did I not?"

"I don't have time!" Natsu bellowed. "Don't waste my time talking so slow!"

As he sheathed his left fist once more in flames, he charged at the man. Unexpectedly, his fist came up to smack him in the jaw again, sending him tumbling to the side. Rubbing his jaw with his right hand while shaking his left hand to try and get rid of its disobedience, Natsu wondered what exactly was happening. Not the brightest of bulbs in the drawer, he was quickly reminded of his actual mission by Happy. Gathering his wits, he prepared to charge at the lacrima, his right hand bursting into flames. The Phantom member stared at him, and suddenly, he was made to spin dizzingly. The man took advantage of the opening, slamming a knee into Natsu to send him flying backwards, crashing into the wall behind him.

"I'm Totomaru of the Element Four, a controller of the fire element. All flames are controlled by me. Whether it be an enemy's or nature's, all the flames out there are mine!" the man introduced himself and describing his abilities, to Natsu's outrage. "My flame is mine!"

"Natsu, who cares about that! Let's destroy this first!" Happy grimaced as he gestured at the giant lacrima. Totomaru smirked as he stared at the easily riled fire dragon slayer. "This seems to be a bad situation for you, Mr. Fire Mage."

The giant lacrima crystal glowed as it began to gather magic from the surroundings, to Happy's consternation. Before Natsu could do anything about _Jupiter_'s preparations, however, Totomaru unleashed a wave of blue fire at the dragon slayer. Natsu opened his mouth, and without ado, gobbled up the fire. Totomaru only looked amused as Natsu proclaimed it to be the coldest fire he had eaten yet. "I see…you're the rumoured flame dragon slayer. I guess it turns out bad for both of us."

At Natsu's bewildered stare, Totomaru elaborated. "'Cause neither of our flames can effectively harm each other."

"Don't jump to conclusions," Natsu retorted, confident in his own fires. "You didn't even taste my flame yet."

"I told you, I won't get hit by any flame attack," Totomaru repeated, a tad irritated.

Natsu pondered the issue for a moment, before a dim idea hit his mind. Gathering something in his mouth, he prepared to fire it in Totomaru's direction. The man reemphasized the impossibility of flames hitting him, as he prepared to counter Natsu's _Fire Dragon Roar_. Holding out his palms in front of him, ready to redirect Natsu's flames away, he was thus taken by surprise when the pink-haired mage spat in his face instead. Angered at being tricked, Totomaru howled as he unleashed a blast of orange fire that stung Natsu's eyes and nose something fierce. The odious smell of the orange flames caused Natsu to swear and curse while holding his sensitive nose, while Totomaru laughed uproariously at his opponent.

Having had enough, Natsu burst away from the fire, and charged the Element Four member with only his fists. Totomaru smirked, assuming himself to have the advantage in a close quarter scenario, as he drew his sword swiftly. The two were rather even in spite of the deadly blade Totomaru wielded however, and his ire fueled by the inability to touch Totomaru, Natsu coated his fists in fire once more. The Phantom member took the opportunity as it came, controlling the flames to smack Natsu with his own fist once more. However, what he didn't expect was Natsu to extend his flames even as he hit his own jaw, engulfing Totomaru in the backwash.

Angered but impressed by Natsu's thoughtful strategy, Totomaru hopped backwards, out of reach of Natsu and ensuring he would not be hit by the same trick again. _Jupiter_ hummed ominously as the minutes ticked away, and the cannon built up the energy necessary for a second blast. Seconds before the launch of _Jupiter_, Natsu conjured a massive inferno. Totomaru raised his free hand at the brilliant red fire, only to find his control over flames was negated by Natsu's grasp over his own fire. Stunned, Totomaru ducked from the fiery blast, laughing at Natsu's miss. That quickly turned to shock as the gout of flames crashed right into the lacrima of _Jupiter_, smashing it into infinitesimal pieces, destroying the magic cannon in the process.

The destruction of the cannon brought a wave of cheers to the fighters on the ground, now emboldened by Natsu's success. As the glittering remnants of the lacrima showered Totomaru, he wondered just where did someone as strong as Natsu come from.

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The Phantom Lord guild headquarters trembled as it rose onto its legs once again, gears clanking and whirling as the gigantic machine slowly tilted itself backwards, the bottom facing Fairy Tail. The legs that helped the building move shifted as parts of the structure moved into place, forming three-fingered hands and two giant legs. A large, helmeted head sprung up from the top of the machine, and steam erupted from joints as the humanoid avatar stomped forwards, slowly but surely making its way towards Fairy Tail.

Within the massive structure, the moving machine was causing Natsu all sorts of problems. The vehicularly challenged fire mage was too busy holding back his puke to continue his fight with Totomaru, the Element Four member's confidence boosted by the successful assembly of the giant robot that was once Phantom Lord's guild headquarters. Conjuring up seven different colours of flames with seven fingers, Totomaru proceeded to expand them into a rainbow of fire above his head. Cackling at Natsu's inability to fight, the Element Four member was about to throw his ultimate magic at Natsu when his casting hands were frozen solid by a chunk of ice. His astonishment would not end there, as his entire body was quickly covered in ice.

A massively hairy hand grabbed the solid chunk of ice that held Totomaru, and with little difficulty, the Element Four member was tossed into the skies, disappearing from the battlefield. Elfman and Gray huffed at Natsu's pathetic state, the latter holding a half-conscious Happy in his arm. As the trio of mages discussed Natsu's success at destroying _Jupiter_, the giant robot they stood in suddenly lurched to a halt. Happy, determined to contribute, flew out of the broken walls to check out the situation.

Outside, the hands of the robot rose as they started drawing figures in the sky. The figures remained hanging in front of the robot as a circle of runes was slowly drew the magical seal, to the consternation of everyone on the ground.

"This seal is…_Abyss Break_?" Mirajane whispered in horror, her body shivering from the terrible implications. "Isn't that…one of the forbidden spells?"

"Such a huge seal…this is bad!" Loke added, a quick glance at the target area of the spell confirming his thoughts. "The dark blast will destroy everything all the way to the Cardia Cathedral!"

"Mira…how long will it take for that spell to activate?" Cana asked through the window of the guild, as Macao kept the shades off of Cana, their de facto ground leader's back. Mirajane bit her lip, wishing for the umpteenth time that there was someone they could rely on to lead them through the mess. "I think…about ten minutes…I wonder if there's a way to destroy its power source…"

"The guys on the inside must be thinking the same thing," Cana replied. Mirajane, confused by Cana's choice of words, clarified. "Natsu's not the only one inside there?"

"No…Gray and Elfman are in there too," Cana answered promptly, to Mirajane's shock. "Elfman?! Why?!"

"Don't act so surprised, Elfman is-" Cana began, only to be cut off by Mirajane's outburst. "He can't! Elfman can't fight! You should know that too, Cana!"

"He can fight…he took part in the fighting before," Cana retorted. Mirajane was not so convinced. "It's one thing to go against soldiers. But if he finds himself up against the leaders…the way he is now…"

"Hey…Mira…I know both you and Elfman were both terribly hurt by what happened…but Elfman is trying his best to move forward from that day," Cana spoke proudly of her fellow guild member. "He's your little brother, I get that…but have more faith in him, will you?"

_Elfman is trying his best…I too, should be doing the same…_ Mirajane thought, guilt at her inadequacies gnawing at her heart. Her mind made up, she burst out of the building she was hiding in, startling Cana. Standing at the back of everyone fighting, she ignored their calls for her to fall back. Everyone knew of her inability to fight anymore, but she didn't care. _Ráfaga…I don't know where you are…but I know you're definitely doing something important for you to have to be away at this crucial juncture. So I'll be brave, and fight for the both of us!_

In her guise as Lucy, she threw her hands out at shouted at the giant monstrosity bearing down on them. _This should buy us some time…_ "I'm the one you're after, right?! Stop attacking the guild right now!"

"**Disappear…little imposter,**" the speakers conveyed Jose's harsh voice. "**I knew right from the very beginning that Lucy is not there. There's no way that the person being targeted will be sent to the frontlines. Spare me the bullshit and just die.**"

Ignoring the efforts of Mirajane, the robot continued its ominous sketch of _Abyss Break_.

_I'm completely useless…as usual…_

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"_Salut_."

Elfman turned, pausing in his run to face the strange man that just oozed out of the ground. The man smiled darkly as he introduced himself. "My name is Sol. You may call me Monsieur Sol."

"What great timing," Elfman declared, stripping his cloak off his back with a flourish. "You can tell me how to stop this giant. _Beast Arm: Black Bull_!"

His right arm turned completely black, which intrigued Sol. "Oh? Will you be alright with just that one transformed arm? It seems the rumours are quite accurate after all…I know all about you. No, more than that, my head contains details pertaining to all the mages that belong to Fairy Tail…"

"Don't you ever stop talkin'?!" Elfman roared, as he charged Sol recklessly. The Element Four member jumped over Elfman's punch, contorting inhumanly. "I believe you had a younger sister once, right?"

Stunned by Sol's mention of Lisanna, Elfman was only able to get his arms up in a hasty block, while Sol unleashed a wave of sand with his _Sable Dance_. The sand obscured Elfman's vision, preventing him from seeing Sol. The slinky man wasted no time, attacking Elfman next with his _Roche Concerto_. The barrage of rocks slammed into Elfman, eliciting a shout of pain as the man was knocked to his knees from the volley. Sol smirked as he continued his little mind game. "A while back, you underwent a _Full-Body Take Over_, but it went wrong, and you ran wild…your precious sister gave her life to stop the rampage…isn't that right?"

"And the trauma that resulted from that incident has prevented you from being able to perform the _Full-Body Take Over_ ever since…" the green-haired Phantom member taunted, confident in his superiority.

"_Beast Arm: Iron Bull_!" Elfman shouted, as his arm turned from black to a giant iron arm. Sol was not impressed, merely chortling as he twisted his body around the arm, wrapping it tightly with his stretchy body. His head stretched out to mock Elfman with a smirk. "_Salut_."

Elfman growled as he grabbed Sol, and tried tugging the man off his arm to no avail. Sol only chuckled at his fruitless endeavour, returning to his original form as he leapt off Elfman's arm, and delivered a spinning kick to the larger man's jaw. He sent Elfman skidding on the ground, and only watched in faint amusement as Elfman stood up, attempting but failing to do a _Full-Body Take Over_. Elfman's energy fell drastically, something Sol took great delight to pointing out to the collapsed mage. "Hmmm…! You should avoid attempting that which you cannot achieve! It would appear your power has fallen drastically thanks to that failed attempt at a _Full-Body Take Over_!"

Sol slammed a powerful kick into the weakened Elfman's midsection. Spittle flew out of the large man's mouth as he flew back, unable to counter Sol's attacks at all. The man hummed as he shifted his hands in a blurry montage of movement. "Hmmm…as a gentleman, it is only right that I should end this with my most powerful spell. _Plâtre Sonata_!"

A fist of plaster smashed right into Elfman, crashing him into the wall behind him. The wall shattered with little resistance, exposing the hallway they were battling in to the outside world. Elfman laid on the edges of the hole Sol's attack made, his body beaten and unmoving. Groaning, he opened his weary eyes, only to spot the giant three-fingered hand of the robot holding on to a struggling Mirajane. "N-Neechan!"

"Oh…your older sister…in other words, that woman out there, would she happen to be the famous Mirajane-sama, once feared as the Demon?" Sol inquired, adjusting his monocle. "My, my…it would appear that her magical powers has dwindled quite drastically…how tragic."

"I'm afraid she's being punished for attempting to deceive us about her identity," Sol explained, as Elfman struggled to get up. "She should be smashed apart any moment now…"

"Run…" Mirajane winced, calling out to Elfman.

"Neechan…the hell do you call this! Let her go right now!" Elfman roared, only for his head to be cracked against the wall by Sol, stepping on his scalp with impunity. Mirajane, desperate for the safety of her sibling, cried out. "Stop it! It doesn't matter what happens to me! But just leave Elfman alone!"

"Will you have to go through it all again, I wonder?" Sol taunted the_ Take Over_ mage at his feet. "Such a pity…losing first your younger sister, and then your elder sister right before your very eyes…"

"Elfman…run, please!" Mirajane sobbed.

"Why…I swore that I'd never see your tears ever again, neechan…so why are you crying?!" Elfman growled hotly, bursting to his feet. Sol jumped away as Elfman stood, his entire body transforming instead of just his right arm. "Who was it that made you cry?!"

"You mustn't!" Mirajane shouted in desperation. "You can still only use a single arm!"

"Lisanna died…because I was too weak…" Elfman said, to Mirajane's protests. "I don't want to feel that way ever again! Ráfaga was there to stop me, but now he's not around, so I'll have to do it myself! I want to become a strong man, someone worthy of protecting you, neechan! Let. Neechan. **GO!**"

Sol's eyes widened in fear as Elfman grew in size and stature, with thick fur covering his body from top to bottom. His hair grew to become a mane, as horns jutted out of his forehead and shoulders. His legs became hooves as the monstrous beast that the Strauss siblings faced years ago. Sol screeched as Elfman barraged him with blows that the Element Four member couldn't catch, and in an instant, it was over. As the beastly Elfman stood over the collapsed body of Sol, Mirajane stared at the scene with trepidation.

"Hey…Elfman…can you hear me…you haven't lost all reason again, have you?" Mirajane questioned weakly, even as the beast stalked over to her, before jumping onto the hand that was holding Mirajane hostage. Pushing the giant fingers apart with ease, Elfman wrapped an arm around his sister protectively. "I'm sorry…neechan…you probably didn't want to see this face anymore…it was all because I couldn't control this form properly that Lisanna…"

"You're lucid," Mirajane sighed in relief, as Elfman continued his apologies. "But there was nothing else I could do…I had to become stronger, or I couldn't protect you or Fairy Tail…"

"It was never your fault that Lisanna died…" Mirajane smiled wistfully at her younger brother. "Back then, you were just trying desperately to protect us too…"

"I couldn't do it…Lisanna, she died…" Elfman cried, holding his sister gently. The ivory-haired girl wrapped her arms around Elfman's torso as the mage returned to his original form. "But I'm still alive. We made a decision, didn't we? To live a full life, for her sake…"

"Neechan!" Elfman bawled. "I'm so glad you're okay!"

"Honestly, what are you standing around crying for?" Mirajane smiled in mild exasperation, planting her hands on her hips as she watched Elfman cry like a baby. "Thank you…Elfman."

Then, a sudden realization struck her as she observed the robot crafting the _Abyss Break_ magic circle. "The speed at which the robot is drawing the seal…it's become slower. I wonder why…"

_The four elemental forbidden spell, Abyss Break…four elements, fire, water, wind earth…_ Mirajane gasped as she struck gold. "Elfman! How many of the Element Four are left?!"

"Huh? Uhhh…there are two left, I think?" Elfman considered his sister's strange question. Mirajane nodded as that confirmed her suspicions about the spell. "As I thought…when you beat this guy up, the giant's movements became slower…in other words, the giant's power source is the Element Four itself! If we defeat all of the Element Four, we can prevent _Abyss Break_!"

"Really?" Elfman exclaimed. Mirajane nodded firmly. "Quickly! They must be somewhere inside this giant!"

"Y-Yeah!" Elfman agreed.

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"Hmm…rain?" Gray mused, as he stared at the sudden downpour above his head. "Was it raining before?"

"Pitter-patter…" a voice intoned, attracting Gray's attention. "Yes…Juvia, the woman of rain, of the Element Four…pitter-patter…"

"Element Four…" Gray murmured, as he hauled himself up from the hole he had just climbed out of. Juvia allowed Gray time to clamber up to stable ground, staring at the black-haired man coolly. "To think that you could defeat two of the Elements…however, Juvia and Aria are not to be taken lightly."

"Sorry…but it doesn't matter if you're a woman or even a child…I don't go easy on anybody who hurts my _nakama_…" Gray replied, to which Juvia blushed darkly. The umbrella-totting girl spun around on her heels, turning her back on Gray. "Y-Yes…I have lost this battle…farewell…"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Gray exclaimed, bug-eyed. "The hell's with that?!"

_Ahh…Juvia, are you somehow afflicted with illness? This pitter-patter in the chest…_ Juvia thought, clutching her hand above her bosom. _I must make him mine…! Juvia, there's no turning back!_

"Wait up, woman!" Gray shouted. "If you lost the battle, you can damn well stop this giant!"

"_Water Lock_!" Juvia called out, as she engulfed Gray in a bubble of water. Catching the man unawares, he was crushed painfully by the water pressure the attack exerted on foes. Juvia squeaked as she saw the pain Gray was in. "Ahh! How could Juvia wound him so! Wh-What action should I take?! I must release him at once!"

Before she could do just that, Gray turned the water to ice, and crashed his way out of the prison. Juvia watched the scene, shocked by Gray's escape from her _Water Lock_. _He…he froze it and shattered it apart from within…Juvia was so sure that her Water Lock could never be broken…he and I…is this some kind of fate?!_

"Huh…you got me good there, didn't ya?" Gray grimaced as he held his hands to a bloody wound on his abdomen. Juvia gasped in horror at the damage she had inflicted on Gray. She squeaked in embbrassment as Gray proceeded to remove his shirt. _W-Why…why is he removing his shirt? Ah…my heart…my heart is not prepared for this…_

"_Ice-Make: Lance_!" Gray shouted, as a magic circle burst into existence. Ice erupted from his palms as lances of ice speared Juvia…and emerged from the other side. The girl looked downcast as multitudes of ice passed through her body, leaving her full of holes. Yet, Juvia was unperturbed by this, seemingly unharmed. "Juvia's body…is formed from the rain itself…pitter-patter…"

"Water?" Gray shouted, astonished at the fact. Juvia bit her index finger in indecision, trying hard to reconcile her role as one of the Element Four with her newfound love for Gray. _Just now…he assaulted me…this man, yes, he is an enemy! Juvia…must be strong! This is a war!_

"Farewell, sweet flower of love!" Juvia shouted, as she swung her hand. "_Water Slicer_!"

"The hell's this woman saying?" Gray recoiled, crossing his arms as he endured the barrage of water bullets that crashed against him. Slamming his fist into his palm, he shouted his attack. "_Ice-Make: Battle Axe_!"

The axe of crystalline water sliced right through Juvia's midsection, and as the weapon went by, Juvia's body reformed harmlessly. Juvia stared at Gray forlornly as the man cursed the futility of his attack. "It is impossible for you to defeat Juvia…there is still time for you to be saved. I request that you bring Lucy to me. If you do so, I shall speak to our master and convince him to withdraw."

"Oi…quit saying these screwed up things. Both sides have come too far to just stop fighting now," Gray replied hotly, cracking his knuckles. "Lucy's our _nakama_. I won't hand her over even if I die!"

Juvia dropped her umbrella in shock as she registered Gray's words. _Even if I die…love…love…a rival in love!_

Gray watched in puzzlement as Juvia shed tears, and scrambled back as suddenly, rain boiled off her body. Steam rose from her as she howled at Gray. "Juvia cannot forgive this! Juvia shall never forgive Lucy!"

"Boiling water?" Gray watched in confusion. "And why is she angry at Lucy?"

Before he could react, jets of boiling hot water blasted towards him. Grunting, he tried to freeze the water, only to have to dodge by the skin of his teeth as the water roared past his skin. The sentient water then did an abrupt turn and homed in on him once again, preventing him from pulling off any of his magic. "So fast! My shaped magic can't keep up? If I don't buy myself some time…"

Gray dived through one of the openings on the roof, spinning around in the air to face the pouring skies as he protected himself from the boiling liquid with _Ice-Make: Shield_. To his shock, his shield was quickly breashed, as a watery Juvia burst through, her face a rictus of anger. "My jealousy is boiling!"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Gray cried out, as he was engulfed in hot water. "So hot…my skin is blistering…"

The water curved, catching Gray in its boiling hot embrace as it smashed through the roof, bringing Gray along with it. The black-haired mage was tossed up into the sky, cussing all the way. Roaring, Gray slammed his hand into the water that was buffeting him, and channeled his immense magic power into the water. To Juvia's shock, the water started to freeze despite being boiling hot, encasing her watery form in ice as well. The block of ice crashed to the ground, Gray smirking as he succeeded in halting Juvia's attack.

"Impossible…my boiling water…is frozen?" Juvia murmured, blushing as she felt a strong hand on her. "And not only that…"

Gray finally noticed where his hand was. The hand, once stuck deep into the jet of water, was now grabbing onto Juvia's firm right breast. "S-Sorry!"

Releasing her from the ice, Gray slid back, giving the fallen girl some space. "D-Do over!"

_He released me from the ice…? Why? He's so kind!_ Juvia mused, falling deeper in love with Gray. "No…I can't hurt you…"

"Huh? You can't hurt me?" Gray echoed, befuddled. "You mean you know you have no chance of winning against me?"

"I'm stronger than Lucy…I can protect you," Juvia explained, before stuttering. "I…that is… uhm…I…I lo…lo…"

"Did this rain just get a lot stronger?" Gray muttered, staring up at the increasing downpour, to Juvia's consternation. _This is so annoying!_ "Jeez…this rain is so depressing…"

_He's…he's just like them…_ Juvia thought, her heart crushed from the careless words of Gray. Her fury reached boiling point once more, as steam rose from her form. "You're just like them!"

"Wha…what the? Fine, let's do this!" Gray exclaimed, readying himself. Juvia sobbed her heart out as she turned to water. _I…I don't need love! I don't need it! Juvia is an ame-onna…I'm one of the Element Four! A Phantom mage!_

The boiling water once more captured Gray, but even as the _Ice-Make_ mage tried to freeze the water, he found out to his frustration that it was far hotter than before. The water tossed Gray to the ground, as it came around to smash against him once more, Juvia leading the watery assault. Gray shouted out his defiance as he stood his ground, a blast of ice erupting from his hands to meet the boiling water dead on. With all his might, the boiling water that Juvia was wielding began to freeze, along with all the rain droplets that were still falling upon Gray's head.

"_Ice-Make: Ice Geyser_!" Gray roared, as he slammed his palm to the ground.

Ice exploded from the floor of their battleground, crashing into the boiling water from below. Juvia screamed as she was engulfed by the frozen water, unable to fight the ice. Then, it shattered, leaving Juvia hanging in the air. She fell to the ground painfully, in complete disbelief at her defeat. "I…I lost?"

"How do you feel?" Gray asked, an easy smile on his face as he walked over to his fallen foe. "Have you cooled off yet?"

"Huh…the rain…it stopped," Juvia mused, as the gray clouds shifted aside to allow bright sunshine wash over the two fighters. Gray ran a hair through his wet locks, pleased. "Hey! It finally cleared up!"

_This is the clear sky? It's…beautiful…_ Juvia thought, a lone tear trickling from her eye. Gray grinned charmingly at Juvia. "So…do you want to continue?"

The girl blushed, and fainted dead away.

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"I've got a good idea, Happy!" Natsu exclaimed, as the partners in crime ran through the extensive hallways of Phantom Lord's building. "If we beat up Jose, this whole battle will be over, right?"

"What are you saying?" Happy scolded. "Jose's magic is as powerful as our master's! There's no way you can beat that guy, Natsu!"

"But the old man's not around! So who's gonna beat up Jose?" Natsu shot back, to Happy's dismay. "That's right…Master and Erza aren't around…this battle, in the end, someone's going to have to take out Jose."

Natsu patted his long time friend on the head reassuringly, flashing him a big grin. "But I'm here, aren't I? Right?!"

_I wonder why…even thought Master and Erza possess far more powerful magic…there's just something about Natsu that gives you hope…_ "Aye!"

But as they ran, they were suddenly confronted with a swirling wind before them. Halting, they watched as a chilling laughter ran out around them, while a man materialised before their very eyes. "How prideful…to think that it will be that easy to defeat Master Jose…pride shall consume the wings of flame, and when all of it is gone, all that will be left…will be the corpse of a fallen dragon."

"Huh?" Natsu muttered, puzzled by the man's cryptic words. Happy was far more worried about the identity of the man. "Natsu…this guy's one of the Element Four!"

"I am called Aria, pinnacle of the Element Four!" the man dissolved into crazed laughter. "I have come to slay the dragon!"

"I'm not going to die to the likes of you!" Natsu yelled, as he charged the man.

Flame coated Natsu's hands, as he dashed at Aria with wild abandon. Aira laughed madly as he merely waved his hand, blowing Natsu backwards and snuffing out his flames all at one go. Undeterred, Natsu hollered as he propelled himself at insane speeds with twin jets of fire bursting from his feet, his entire body also coated in fire. The combination of _Fire Dragon's Claw_ and _Fire Dragon's Sword Horn_ didn't even faze Aria one bit, as the man vanished into thin air, dissolving like the morning mist when faced with the inferno that was Natsu. Blood spurted from Natsu's lips as Aria reappeared above the fire-breathing mage, smashing a crushing foot to the spine of Natsu.

Bouncing off the ground, Natsu was barely able to get his arms into a sloppy block, which was immediately broken when faced with Aria's wind-enhanced kick, sending the pink-haired mage careening backwards. Happy, hiding behind a support pillar, couldn't believe his eyes. Never before had the blue talking cat seen Natsu get beaten so emphatically by someone besides Erza, and the thought scared the cat immensely. He watched as Natsu was continually foiled by Aria's ability to disappear from the head-on attacks by Natsu, only to materialize in a position to smack Natsu around. Even the dragon slayer could tell that Aria was not being too serious; he had not pulled any moves that would befit his status as the strongest of the Element Four. It was a depressing thought.

Natsu slid back, away from a cackling Aria as he tried to regain some poise. He was bruised and battered, but certainly not out of the game. Wiping some grime from his chin, he tried his best to figure a way past Aria's impenetrable defences. Drawing inspiration from his previous battle, Natsu charged in once more, his flaming fists ready to smash the Phantom mage to bits. As Natsu slipped through the midsection of the rapidly dissolving Aria, he smashed his fire-coated hands together. "_Fire Dragon's Brilliant Flame_!"

The resulting fiery explosion rocked the area. Natsu huffed, panting deeply as his attack took its toll on his body. He grinned triumphantly at the fallen body of Aria, the unconscious man lying at his feet. Laughing victoriously, Natsu was about to celebrate with a little dance when Aria suddenly disappeared, and a blast of wind smashed into Natsu from the back. The gale-force winds knocked the very breath out of Natsu's lungs, and crushed him against the wall. The heavy air pressure squeezed down on Natsu, gradually suffocating the fire mage as he was pressed face first into the wall. Just as the pink-haired dragon slayer was on the verge of unconsciousness, the battering that the wall took proved too much, and the concrete gave way.

Aria's mad laughter ended as Natsu tumbled into the next hallway, the teen gulping down deep breaths of much-needed oxygen. The Element Four member clucked his tongue, sounding dismayed. "I had expected more from the famous Salamander. It turns out your flames fueled your ego to untenable levels, leading to an overinflated reputation. It is my pleasure to remove this prideful taint from the face of the earth!"

Aria clapped his hands together, and a massive gust of wind swirled in the massive hallway they were battling in. Natsu and Happy's eyes widened as the once invisible wind coalesced into a huge, transluscent tornado that whipped Natsu's clothes and scarf about. The hurricane-force gales picked up rubble and debris from their fight and flung them in all directions, forcing Natsu and Happy to dodge the chunks of rock more than once. Aria was laughing maniacally as he stood in the eye of his manmade tornado, spouting more fanatical words about pride. Then, before Aria could activate whatever spell he had just set up, a volley of swords of all shapes and sizes besieged him.

Natsu watched, awestruck, as Erza stepped into the open, donning her _Heaven's Wheel Armour_. The metallic feathered wings and elaborate silver armour gave Erza the presence of a vengeful angel, as she walked towards the reappearing Aria, who had dispelled his tornado and vanished when Erza's _Circle Sword_ had barraged him with all two hundred blades. Despite her weary appearance, she stood firm in the face of the strongest Element Four member, who only cackled in glee at the chance to fight Titania.

"It's glorious, that I can battle Titania!" Aria howled to the skies. "I shall knock you off your pedestal of arrogance, and make you face the music!"

"Natsu," Erza called out, gaining the pink-haired mage's attention. "Go on ahead without me. I'll handle this monkey."

"But I-"

"I have faith in you," Erza interrupted Natsu's protest. "It's time to let loose, Natsu. You have plenty of untapped potential left in you. Go on ahead, and find Gajeel. You should have a better handle of him than anyone else in the guild."

"I…I got it! Beat this creep for all of us!" Natsu nodded, before gesturing for Happy. "C'mon, let's go kick Gajeel's butt!"

"Aye!" the cat exclaimed, as he flew after his friend, venturing deeper into the Phantom headquarters. Aria watched them go passively, but was alert enough to dissolve his body as Erza tried to ambush him with a few of her telekinetically controlled swords. "To attack one when he is distracted…how shameful for one as highly regarded as you, Erza Scarlet!"

"No worse than what you did to Master Makarov!" Erza roared furiously, as she charged at Aria. "_Blumenblatt_!"

She burst through the mist that Aria seemed to be consisted of, the man laughing at the S-class mage's ineffectual attack. Erza continued to aim a steady barrage of flying swords at Aria even as he avoided the attacks nonchalantly. Retreating a further distance away from him, Erza's swords and armour glowed brightly. Aria watched as the swords disappeared, and Erza swapped out her armour to a black number. Spikes adorned the macabre suit, as Erza's now spiked and tousled hair stuck out in all directions. In her hand was a gigantic sword, with spikes protruding out from the non-cutting edge of the massive weapon. Hefting the undoubtably heavy blade around seemed to be a breeze for the _Requip Magic_ user, as Erza slid into a battle stance.

"This is my _Purgatory Armour_," Erza proclaimed confidently. "None have seen the armour and lived to tell the tale."

Aria burst into peals of insane laughter the moment Erza described one of her most powerful armours. "Aren't you Fairies proud of your policy not to kill? And yet here you are, telling me that your powerful armour has led to the deaths of all who gaze upon it? What hypocrisy! What arrogance, to lord your moral standpoints over others when you do not conform to them yourself! I shall relish your defeat!"

"Bring it on!" Erza shouted challengingly, as she dashed at Aria.

Aria cackled mockingly as he danced out of the overhead swing by Erza, not even bothering to turn to mist. Erza only smirked as her sword crashed into the ground, and from the point of impact, large gouts of hellish black fire burst from the ground in a circular pattern. The pillars of fire caught Aria by surprise, and the man screamed as his flesh melted off his bones from the hellfire. Then, suddenly, the flames vanished completely, leaving only wisps of smoke behind. Aria's laughter grew from a slow chuckle to a madman's crazed laughter, as he appeared behind Erza, walking towards her as he applauded in appreciation of her skill, appearing completely unharmed.

"You are truly powerful, Titania!" Aria lauded. "I see that I will have to remove my blindfold to meet your strength!"

Erza lifted her blade off the cratered ground, raising it in a defensive posture in front of her as Aria slowly clasped his thick fingers around his white blindfold, tugging the cloth off. The eyes were yellow, with black bars for pupils. Red linings marked the edges of the eyes, leaving the man's eyes possessing an uncanny resemblance to that of an amphibian. The man grinned wildly as he reveled in Erza's tension. "So you know of my suppression of powers! Good! Your arrogance has not made you unaware of my threat!"

"Enough talking, Aria," Erza riposted coldly. "You, who can only use a cheap trick to defeat our master, are nothing in my eyes!"

"We shall see!" Aria guffawed, clapping his hands together. "_Hammer_!"

A large, almost invisible fist formed almost instantly above Erza, and crashed down on her with an almighty clap. Too fast for her to dodge, she screamed as the cutting winds enveloped her body, slicing away her _Purgatory Armour_ with terrifying ease. She dropped the huge _zanbatō_ in her hands as the air pressure forced her to her knees. When the harsh winds dissipated, her armour crumbled to pieces around her feet as she panted heavily, unable to get up. She was barely clinging on to consciousness, but her immense will to fight forced the edges of darkness away from her eyes. With a defiant roar, Erza's body glowed as another armour took the place of her shattered _Purgatory Armour_. As the glow died down, Aria could only snicker at the cheetah-print bra, cat ears and even a tail protruding from her tiny shorts.

"You resort to such embarrassing outfits in an attempt to make me laugh into submission?" Aria mocked. "You have certainly succeeded if that is your ploy! I am suitably hysterical now!"

Erza only smirked as Aria completely underestimated her _Flight Armour_. Too fast for his eyes to catch, Erza disappeared from view, materializing behind the startled man. Before he could even contemplate turning to mist, the crimson-haired swordswoman had already begun her attack. "_Sonic Claw_!"

Aria screamed, for real this time, as Erza cut him from every direction, a vindictive cut for each one of the guild members that had suffered from Phantom's attack on them. With a thunderous roar, Erza slashed the Phantom mage one final time as she dashed past the man, sliding to a halt behind him. Dust thrown up by her sheer speed settled slowly to the ground as she swivelled to face the man. However, to her surprise, she was greeted with a cloud of white smoke that took its time to clear.

The voice that sounded out from within the obscuring smoke was eerily familiar too, and Erza could feel her stomach churn in dread. "I see you've upped your _Flight Armour_ speed…impressive, Erza. If there was anyone in Fairy Tail right now capable of hurting me on any level, it would be you."

"Ráfaga?" Erza mumbled, her eyes wide with shock as the smoke cleared, revealing the blond-haired man sans his usual crimson coat. His eyes remained the same as Aria's, a far cry from his usual cerulean orbs. Across the unarmoured parts of his body were light gashes, but none of them seemed to bother him as he addressed Erza rather pleasantly. "In the flesh, Erza. Unfortunately, I couldn't maintain the cover long enough to pretend I lost, so it seems I'm blown. Not that I'm surprised. I am facing the famous Titania, after all."

"Why…how…" Erza stammered in disbelief.

"Those are difficult questions to answer now, when Jose and Gajeel are still fit and healthy," Naruto sighed, running a hand through his spiky locks. "I can sense Lucy's life force in this building. Gajeel must have gotten to her already. But there seems to be nothing to worry about on that front. Natsu's there to handle it."

"Have you been a double agent all this while?!" Erza demanded, her anger building. "Have you been spying on Fairy Tail for Phantom? How long?"

"It's the other way around, Erza, though I doubt you'd believe me at this point," Naruto replied flippantly. "We can talk later, when this whole mess is over. You'll get your answers then."

"Fine! If you don't want to say it now, I'll just have to beat it out of you!" Erza howled.

She charged in a zigzag pattern at Naruto, confident that the man was unable to cope with her speed. After all, he was previously helpless against her _Sonic Claw_. Stupefaction was written all over her face as her initial slash was sidestepped with consummate ease, and an arm shot out, almost too fast for her to see and certainly too fast for her to react in time. Her momentum was her downfall as he clotheslined her, his steely arm crashing into her exposed throat without budging an inch. Spitting saliva from her lips, Erza fell on her back with a loud thump, having just knocked her own breath out of herself.

Before she could get up, her already injured body was too slow to respond to the mass of chains that spawned from the ground, bursting through the floor to wrap around Erza. The spiked tips of the chains stabbed into the ground, pinning the struggling girl to the floor securely. Then, Erza could feel her the last dregs of her magic being drained through the metal, taking her fight along with it. Naruto squatted beside the mage, impressed by her tenacity to continue clinging onto her consciousness.

"Don't worry, Erza," Naruto eye-smiled, patting the weakening girl on the head comfortingly. "When you wake up, all of this will be over. Then I'll tell everyone everything. Sleep tight."

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The magic circle glowed brightly as the giant robot prepared to activate _Abyss Break_. Everyone yelled for cover as they prayed for survival. Then, suddenly, it disappeared in a puff of smoke. The robot creaked and groaned as it stumbled backwards, before falling to the ground with a loud boom. Loud cheers rang through the fighting forces of Fairy Tail at the successful dismantling of _Abyss Break_ by their crew. However, there was much displeasure to be felt by Joe, whose aura was palpable to his subordinates in the control room.

"Impossible! Those pieces of trash from Fairy Tail managed to take out the entire Element Four?!" he ranted. "Where is Gajeel?!"

"I'm right here, Master," the man called out, his voice holding an undeniable hint of smugness. "The Element Four were wiped out, you say? Well, if they got beaten up by trash, well then that just makes them trash as well, no? I guess you should have just sent me out there to take them on in the first place. Oh well, no matter. I have a present for you, Master."

"A present?" Jose echoed, staring curiously as Gajeel dropped an unconscious female body on the ground. "Lucy? But how?"

"Don't underestimate the nose of a dragon slayer," Gajeel smirked arrogantly, tapping the side of his nose. When his fellow guild members questioned whether she was dead, Gajeel merely kicked her in the stomach, causing her to burst into a fit of coughs. A malicious grin was plastered on his pierced face. "Looks like she's alive to me. Though the big guy she was with might as well be dead."

"As expected of the strongest man in my guild. Excellent work, Gajeel," Jose praised, before turning to his microphone. "**All you Fairy Tail members out there. We have succeeded in capturing Lucy. Our first objective has been achieved.**"

He grabbed the half-awake Lucy by her hair, causing her to squeal in pain. That voice was transmitted to the speakers that pumped out of the sounds of her struggle to the rest of Fairy Tail, all incensed by Jose's treatment of Lucy. The Phantom Lord guild master, however, was thoroughly enjoying the situation. "**I'm sure you all heard that…we have but a single objective remaining. To slaughter the lot of you disgusting brats.**"

The shades grew exponentially stronger as the undead things attacked Fairy Tail once more, pushing the already weary mages back even further. As Jose commanded his shades to crush the opposition mercilessly, he turned to Gajeel. "Keep an eye on Lucy for me. A few insects seem to have invaded our guild."

"I shall have to let them know that they will be seeing no more miracles," Jose sneered malevolently, as he stepped away from the controls of the now fallen robot.

"I will deal with all of them…myself."

* * *

**Explanations**

For those who were wondering, why did Makarov just waltz into a trap Naruto warned him about? Why did Naruto not just kick Jose's ass and be done with it? Why is everything going like canon? LAME!

Makarov doesn't know anything, and doesn't want to know Phantom's plans. He chose to do that because Phantom can change their plans at any moment. If he knew of Phantom's plans and tried to counter it, it could lead to deviations on Jose's part, thus rendering any further preparations useless. He can't just attack Phantom's base either, because he's not supposed to know where it's located. How will he explain off that information? He'll be compromising Naruto's identity and safety.

Jose is predictable. Fairy Tail crushed his pride, so he wants revenge. That meant that once the trap was sprung on Makarov, Jose would definitely target the rest of the guild. He had faith in his guild that they can overcome every single weapon that Jose brings out. Also, if Makarov had avoided the trap, who knows how Jose would plot his next attack? It'll be easier to fall into Phantom's trap, draw them in and then beat them on home ground, disabling all their weapons in the process.

Naruto allowed Makarov to have his way, so he adjusted his plans for that. Instead of unsealing Makarov right from the get-go, he gives the counter-seal to Mystogan, to use when the man was done cleaning up the subdivisions. Jose could react differently should Makarov recover faster than expected, and get his other mages to join in the fray. But once Mystogan made sure that everything Phantom had in reserve was taken out, then Makarov can just crush everything put in front of him by Jose, without having to worry about underhanded tricks or sneak attacks.

Let's say Makarov doesn't walk into the trap at Oak Town (which will be going against the wishes of a hundred angry Fairy Tail mages hungering for Phantom blood, by the way). On Fairy Tail's side is Makarov and Erza. He can't reliably count on anyone else, save maybe Naruto (who has a cover Makarov didn't wish to force him to blow). On Phantom's side is Jose, the Element 4 and Gajeel. That's 6 S-class mages to his 2. He won't know how strong those 5 S-class mages under Jose really are, so he has to assume they are as strong as Erza.

Even if Fairy Tail has better quality mages, sheer numbers from Phantom can overcome that quality too. And Phantom has Abyss Break and Jupiter, which Makarov doesn't know of, but are still factors. Jose has far more room to manoeuvre in this guild war, and Fairy Tail will always be on the back foot because of smaller fighting resources. Isn't it better to invite the enemy to come to your territory instead of vainly trying to anticipate their movements, using knowledge that becomes obsolete once the trap wasn't sprung?

Finally, Naruto doesn't just kick Jose's ass because he's matched almost evenly with Jose. Hence, even if he won, he'll be crushed by the rest of Phantom. Makarov doesn't want him to risk his life, hence the inaction from Naruto.

Oh, and the Naruto that went to Porlyusica's? It's a clone sent to check on Makarov and make sure the man wasn't dying because he accidentally screwed up his seal.

**I hope this explanation is satisfactory. If you feel it's not good enough (either the explanation OR the story in general), then feel free not to read this story any more.  
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	12. Chapter 11: Phantom Lord III

**Author's Notes:** Righto! This is the last chapter for the Phantom arc. I know plenty have been puzzled/disappointed with the addition of canon, but I have to say, I personally enjoyed re-reading the manga and writing them. Don't worry, everything after this chapter should deviate more from canon.

As for this chapter, it starts from the Natsu/Gajeel fight, so if you don't want to read that, you can give the first section a miss, and skip straight to the Naruto/Jose fight. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto or Fairy Tail.

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**Chapter 11: Phantom Lord III (X784)**

Lucy's body quivered in agony as metallic plates that pinned her hands to the wall held her up in a cross. Her legs dangled from the ground, and as time slowly ticked by, the strain on her shoulders and arms increased to unbearable levels. Knives were stabbed into the concrete around her body, all of them awfully close to cutting her. Spidery cracks from where the knives were embedded told any onlooker that had those knives hit her, they would have pierced her body with little trouble. She winced as her muscles twitched in protest at the tortuous position they were made to hold, and that seemed to save her eye as a knife flew past, stabbing into the wall right beside her shifting head.

"Ooh, nasty…I thought that one was going to hit her for a moment there," Gajeel grinned gleefully, his hand outstretched in a post-throwing stance.

"Gajeel…you really shouldn't do that!" a Phantom mage protested against the Ace's cruel game. Gajeel paid no heed to the man, forming another throwing knife in his hand. "Eh? But I'm bored, you know? Now, where should I aim for next?"

"Just stop it!" the man continued arguing. He was immediately silenced by Gajeel, who cracked his head against the other man, knocking him down and out. "Shut the hell up. I don't care who the hell this girl is. From where I'm standing, she's just another one of those pieces of trash from Fairy Tail. Who gives a shit if she dies or not?"

"I-If she died, Master will become very angry with you!"

"Ah, who cares? I'd just blame it on you guys," Gajeel sneered derisively. "Man, this sucks…even those Fairy Tail idiots are throwing their lives away just 'cause this girl's got a bit of cash in her family. This war will be pointless if I didn't get some action."

"You guys are complete idiots, aren't you?" Lucy smirked, to Gajeel's amusement. "I feel so sorry for you guys, it makes me want to cry."

"Is that right? Huh, to be able to bluff in a situation like this, maybe you _are_ worth somethin' after all," Gajeel teased. Lucy merely scoffed, her confidence in her guild undented. "You fools aren't even the tiniest bit scared, aren't you?"

Lucy twisted her head quickly to the side, as another knife soared past her ear, dangerously close to severing something. Gajeel cupped a hand around his ear jeeringly. "What was that? I didn't hear you."

"You're the ones who'd be in trouble if I died, you know," Lucy reiterated her threat. "There's no way Fairy Tail would ever forgive you if I die! That's the kind of guild they are! You'd end up spending every day cowering in fear from the most terrible guild in the world…for the rest of your lives."

"Interesting theory you've got there," Gajeel grinned at her challenge. "Maybe I should put it to the test…?"

With another toss, Gajeel's aim was true as the knife in his hand flew unerringly towards Lucy's body, somewhere where she couldn't contort herself to avoid. His fellow Phantom members shrieked in horror as the knife sailed through the air, all of them fearful of their master's wrath. Suddenly, the ground rumbled as an object blasted through the floor directly in front of Lucy, flame trailing at the bottom. Natsu Dragneel glared murderously at the Phantom mages. Clenched between his teeth was the last knife that Gajeel had thrown. The Phantom Lord members scrambled away from the rubble that Natsu's dramatic appearance had tossed around, but Gajeel was pumped up for the challenge ahead.

"I knew it…I recognised your smell," Gajeel smirked.

Before he could blink, Natsu engulfed his whole body in flames, and smashed his fist into Gajeel's jaw. The dragon slayer careened backwards, tumbling into the rest of his guild mates. Tangled in a pile of limbs, Gajeel gruffly shoved his comrades aside, only to find Natsu already within his guard, his fist rising in a powerful uppercut. Catching Gajeel in the jaw, he sent the man flying, smashing into more Phantom members. Happy, flying in through the hole Natsu smashed, tugged away at the bindings that held Lucy captive.

Gajeel recovered his bearings quickly, grinning savagely as he leapt at Natsu, an iron club extending from his thrown punch explosively. The rod smashed the ground beneath Natsu's feet as the pink-haired mage hopped over the attack, planting his hands on it. Inverting his body, he spun his legs before smashing Gajeel with a fire-boosted helicopter kick. Instead of being blown away, however, Gajeel only smirked as he turned his club into a giant sword, cutting Natsu's side when the man lowered himself off the metal. The momentary pain distracted Natsu, which allowed Gajeel to pull his serrated blade back, tearing a wide wound across Natsu's side. Then, he kicked the back of the fire-breathing mage's head, but allowed Natsu the time to retreat and regain composure.

"I think it's time we put an end to this, Salamander!" Gajeel grinned cruelly. Natsu returned the wild grin. "I'm just getting started…ya scrap metal bastard!"

Gajeel stretched his hand out, and metallic scales crawled up his hands, covering his entire arm with shiny iron armour. The man howled as he charged Natsu, throwing a fist the pink-haired mage could only block painfully with his arm. Natsu's feeble defence was blown wide open, as he was sent flying. Gajeel didn't let up, swinging a roundhouse kick that Natsu managed to duck under. The simple yet powerful attack caused a shockwave to blow past Lucy, almost toppling her. Natsu retaliated, his arms coated in fire as he crashed a fist into Gajeel's face. The iron dragon slayer was not even scratched, as more metal appeared all over his body and face. Natsu yowled as his fist was hurt more than Gajeel.

Grabbing Natsu by his scarf, Gajeel pulled his other hand back, ready to smash Natsu's head. The fire mage managed to slither out of the iron user's grip as Gajeel's clawed palm punched a hand-shaped hole in the ground. The two of them inhaled a large amount of air as their cheeks puffed up. With unrehearsed synchrony, they both launched their _Dragon Roar_ at each other, the torrent of flames and metal clashing with catalysmic power. Everyone was blown away by the pressure wave that resulted from the attacks…all except Gajeel. As the smoke and debris settled, only the iron dragon slayer was unharmed in the exchange. Natsu was heaving large breaths, his body littered with pieces of sharp iron, large and small.

"Looks like the difference between our dragon elements is becoming clear, Salamander," Gajeel taunted, as he slowly walked towards Natsu. "Even if your flaming breath has the power to burn your opponent to ashes, it can't leave a single mark on steel. But my own breath of iron blades can slice up your body pretty damn good."

"Oh?" Natsu scoffed. Gajeel paused in his tracks, stunned, as he felt some of his scales fall off. Natsu chuckled as he steadied himself. "My flames aren't just some ordinary flames, you know. Dragon flames can incinerate anything. If you don't hit me with everything you've got, you're just gonna get smashed to bits, Iron Gajeel. We've got the measure of each other now. Playtime's over."

Every non-dragon slayer in the vicinity gaped at Natsu's words, realising just how outclassed they were compared to the anti-dragon mages. Gajeel's eyes held a steely glint as he smirked at the challenge, ready to do battle once more. "There ain't no room for two dragons in this sky. I'll strike you down, Salamander Natsu!"

The two men hollered in sync as they charged at each other, a non-stop barrage of blows hammering away at each other. Neither bothered with dodging or playing defensive; indeed, inflicting as much damage as possible seemed to be the one and only concern for these two fighters. Their power was so immense, every hit they pulled off seemed to trigger a shockwave, breaking up the floor and blowing away the other mages present. Gajeel was then knocked down by a particularly strong punch to the shoulder, which Natsu capitalized on. The fire dragon slayer jumped high up into the air, before diving down with a drop kick. His counterpart was equal to that, flipping backwards to safety.

Gajeel retaliated, crashing his iron fist into Natsu's jaw. The pink-haired mage responded with his own punch. Another flurry of fists and feet were exchanged as the two mages stood toe to toe with one another, neither willing to capitulate. Sensing an opportunity, Gajeel grabbed Natsu by his white scarf, and headbutted the fire mage. Most other people would be feeling the effects of a concussion by then; the Iron Dragon's head was as tough as steel, and his brute strength was near unrivalled. But apart from a trickle of blood, this failed to rattle Natsu. Instead, it only enraged the Fairy Tail mage, who returned the headbutt, somehow getting past Gajeel's iron armour to cause bleeding as well.

As Natsu wiped the blood off his forehead, Gajeel stooped down, and snagged one of the metal plates that covered the floor. He stuffed the plate into his mouth, crunching on the metal to Natsu's consternation. Gajeel only smirked in response, as he fired off a volley of iron clubs that smashed into Natsu, driving the weary mage back. Having regained his vigour from the meal of metal, Gajeel proceeded to crush Natsu's feeble defences as he bloodied his fellow dragon slayer. Lucy watched the current massacre in horror, as she desperately tried to think of a strategy to help Natsu. She knew she was of little help in the actual combat, but if she could attempt to get some fire to the dragon slayer…

_Fire, fire…do I have a stellar spirit of fire…_ Lucy fumbled around, but came up with only one key on her body. _That's right, I lost the keys…_

"Well, the only one I have on me is the one I just got, Sagittarius…I haven't made a contract with it yet, but I've gotta try something!" Lucy thought out loud, raising the key to the ceiling. "I am the one who forges the path to the stellar plane! Answer thee now, and transcend the gate! Open, Gate of the Archer! Sagittarius!"

The magic circle preempted the arrival of Sagittarius, who instead of someone who looked impressive as was to be expected, was in fact a guy in a horse suit. Though he did carry a boy and a quiver of arrows, Lucy had been expecting something more of an actual centaur than a silly man horsing around in a suit. Seeing as she had little choice in the matter, she hurriedly addressed the celestial spirit. "Uh, we'll go through the proper procedures of making a contract later, but can you make fire?"

"Nay…I'm afraid my skill lies in the art of archery," the man replied honestly.

Lucy, despondent at her uselessness, was promptly told to stay out of the fight by Natsu. It was more bravado than anything, as Gajeel was dominating their fight now that he had settled his hunger and Natsu had not. The fire dragon slayer was pummeled further, as Lucy watched in abject horror. Battered and bruised, it seemed like Natsu had lost all strength to fight as Gajeel blew him away with a final shot, sending him bouncing off the ground like a stone skipping across a lake. Natsu slid to a halt at a gigantic hole their battle had created in the wall, his arms lingering over the edge of the concrete. From there, he could see Fairy Tail's dilapidated guild headquarters, a far cry from what it was like before the war.

Gajeel laughed victoriously, inordinately pleased. "Take a good look at the thing you've all been fighting so hard to protect. Take a look at that crumbling wreck you call home!"

Then, as Gajeel's words rang out, the guild collapsed, the structural damage too great to sustain. Natsu forced tears back as he recalled the wonderful memories he had of his guild, the guild that had just been toppled. He remembered meeting his peers and friends, the lively atmosphere, and how, despite Igneel having left him when he was just a child, he was never alone from that moment Makarov brought him to Fairy Tail. His irrepressible will gave him the impetus to rise to his feet, and as he staggered towards Gajeel, Lucy found her heart tearing into two. She couldn't bear to see Natsu struggle so hard against a superior foe, to get beaten and hurt for her sake.

She was brought out of her reverie as Happy touched her leg, the flying cat's face contorted in agony. "Natsu…he's not running on empty yet…"

"Your guild is in shambles. Let it go. It's over," Gajeel proclaimed, as Natsu shuffled his way in front of Gajeel. The pink-haired man didn't reply, which frustrated the iron dragon slayer. The dark-haired mage ground his teeth together as he backhanded Natsu, sending him flying. Even as he managed to spin and slide to a halt, he couldn't stop himself from wheezing blood from the blow. Gajeel was not finished, flashing beside Natsu in an instant and crushing a powerful knee to the fire mage's abdomen.

"Just so you know, I'm not the merciful type," Gajeel sneered maliciously. "After I rip you a new one, get ready to meet your maker, Salamander!"

"The _Jupiter_ cannon, the Element Four…he's used up too much of his magic!" Happy shouted, angered by the disparity. "If he had some fire to eat, he'll kick your ass for sure!"

Sagittarius had a sudden look of comprehension cross his face, as he drew an arrow from the quiver on his back. "I see…it seems there may have been something of a misunderstanding…when you asked me if I could produce fire, the obvious question to that answer is 'no'. However, it would appear that the issue is not whether I can produce fire or not, but whether I can help generate it."

As Gajeel rushed towards Natsu, his hand transformed into a giant blade, Sagittarius let his arrow fly. The projectile flew straight and true, forcing Gajeel to come to a halt as it zipped by his face, missing his nose by inches. The two dragon slayers and every mage in the vicinity watched as the arrow struck the machinery beside the two dueling opponents, causing a plume of fire to spurt out from the broken electronics. Natsu cheered at the sight of fire as Sagittarius launched a volley of arrows in quick succession, creating more and more flames for the dragon slayer to consume with glee. It was then that Gajeel had finally noticed Sagittarius, having long discarded the idea that Lucy could be a threat to him in any way.

"To set machinery aflame…is child's play for my arrows," Sagittarius declared proudly. Lucy's cheer returned at the sight of Natsu regaining his energy. "Great job! You're a real master archer, aren't you?!"

"Man, that was good" Natsu grinned, little wisps of smoke escaping his mouth. "I owe you one, Lucy."

"Don't get cocky just because you ate a little fire!" Gajeel snarled, charging at Natsu. "All that did was put us back on level footing!"

Natsu was in no mood to accommodate Gajeel, as he channeled all his fury into a flaming uppercut. Holding the memories of his injured friends in his heart, he threw his hands out to unleash an inferno from his palms, completely overwhelming Gajeel's hastily fired _Iron Dragon's Roar_. Disbelief set into Gajeel's eyes as Natsu overpowered his shower of steel, and there was nothing he could do to counter the pink-haired dragon slayer as Natsu unleashed his _Crimson Lotus: Fire Dragon's Fist_. The intense barrage of fists aflame with Natsu's righteous fury blew a massive hole in the robot they were fighting in, and the destruction didn't stop as the entire top half of the robot exploded outwards, to the delight of the Fairy Tail mages on the ground.

The robot creaked and groaned as it crashed, grounded forever.

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"Erza?!" Mirajane exclaimed, as they stumbled into another massive room.

Beside her, Gray and Elfman seemed just as shocked at the sight of Erza, who should have been resting back in the guild headquarters and not in the Phantom building. There was no one else in sight, which indicated that Erza had fought someone and lost. Rushing over to her body, it was clear she was unconscious. Pressing two fingers to her neck, Mirajane heaved a loud sigh of relief when a strong, steady pulse was felt. She wondered who was it that defeated Aria to end _Abyss Break_, because it certainly didn't seem like Erza did it.

Running a hand over the fallen swordswoman, Mirajane checked her magic level. Using her hand to make contact with Erza's forehead provided a far better estimate. It was not surprising for Erza to be dangerously low on magical power, but what surprised Mirajane was the _Sleep Magic_ that was cast on her. Her suspicions about her attacker's identity rose when she noticed the red marks all over Erza's body. Given she was in her _Flight Armour_, any bruising would stand out on her creamy, exposed skin. The telltale marks of chain links pressed tightly against her body could be a coincidence, but given his absence, the use of _Sleep_ and now _Chain Magic_, it was painting a picture that Mirajane didn't like too much.

She worked to release the spell on Erza. It was a weak spell, meant to hold only for an hour or so, which made it easy to dispel even for Mirajane's meager reserves. The scarlet-haired woman moaned in agony as her eyelids fluttered sporadically, before they snapped open. "Ráfaga!"

Erza's sudden outburst puzzled Elfman and Gray, and confirmed things for Mirajane. But before the ivory-haired girl could ask her former rival anything, a sudden chill rushed over them. Magic coalesced around a form as everyone shivered from the deathly sensation of the magic that was flowing around them. Jose Porla materialized before them, a sharp clap drawing their attentions. "My, my…what a wonderful show you all put on. I never honestly expected you brats to provide me with so much entertainment."

Mirajane felt sick as she clapped a hand over her mouth. _How can his magic feel so evil? It's making me physically sick just from standing this close!_ The magic continued to gather as Jose slowly walked towards the four mages, a wicked grin plastered on his features. "Well then, I must properly thank all of you for providing me with all this entertainment. I've had my fill now."

Elfman and Gray stood in the way of Mirajane and Erza, the two girls far more defenceless. Jose's smile only widened as he swung his hand grandiosely, the magic gathered around his hand striking Elfman and Gray with explosive force. Another swipe of his hand blew all the Fairy Tail mages back as the ground crumbled from the sheer power of the energy that seared past. Erza wanted to retaliate so much, but her magic was drained already, and she had barely enough energy to shift a limb or two, let alone _Requip_ and do battle with a Wizard Saint. She decided stalling for time was the only way any of them would get out of the situation alive. She had questions she wanted answered too, and Jose could give them to her.

"When did you plant Ráfaga as a double agent in Fairy Tail, Jose?" Erza shouted at the top of her lungs. The surprise was evident on everyone but Mirajane's face. "When did you turn him?!"

"Turn him? Ráfaga? I'm sorry, but I don't know that name," Jose sneered derisively, allowing the conversation to flow. He had nothing to fear from the youngsters before him, so why not indulge them a little. He was curious to know what Titania was on about anyway. "He must be some nobody, to escape my notice."

"He was masquerading as Aria!" Erza cried in frustration. "Surely you were the one to instruct him to infiltrate our guild!"

"Aria? What nonsense are you babbling, Erza Scarlet? I have done no such thing. Aria is Aria, not whoever you think he is," Jose scoffed at the clearly delusional Erza. "I wonder how you even defeated him."

"He was the one to beat me," Erza murmured, her eyes wide. Jose's brow furrowed. "My _Abyss Break_ ended prematurely. That meant all of the Element Four was beaten. He wouldn't have been taken down by the likes of the dragon or those two lying down there. The Demon is nothing but a pretty face now. Who else could have beaten Aria but you?"

The pieces slowly fell into place for Mirajane. "Ráfaga was infiltrating Phantom Lord as Aria! That's why even though he beat you, Erza, he ended _Abyss Break_! He's still loyal to us! He couldn't fight with us in the war, because he had to maintain cover as Aria!"

"That doesn't explain why he took Master down with an underhanded trick," Erza growled. "And there's no reason for him to spy on Phantom!"

"Master told me…Master told me that Ráfaga was doing something for him," Mirajane replied softly, recalling the hesitant words of Makarov. "That Ráfaga had been on that task for a few years now. That he had known of Phantom's actions, and Master allowed for the attacks to occur for justification to retaliate. Ráfaga offered to attack Master Jose for us, but Master shot down the idea because he could die. I understand what he meant now. Ráfaga was thinking of going to ambush Master Jose as Aria, taking him by surprise!"

"I had enough of this foolish banter!" Jose screamed, incensed by the discussion. "Aria was a loyal Phantom mage taken out by you brats! I'm a Wizard Saint! Do you expect me to be fooled by some random mage for the six years Aria was my subordinate? Presposterous! For that insult, die!"

Jose waved his hand once more, forming a blast of magic that hurtled towards the four Fairy Tail mages. Mirajane squeezed her eyes shut, ready for the end. When the sound of a loud explosion and falling rubble was heard, but no harm had come to her, she cracked open an eye. Her eyes flew open at the familiar spiky blond hair of the man that stood protectively ahead of the Fairy Tail mages, his hand outstretched to the side. Staring in the direction of his smoking palm, it was clear he had deflected the blast to the wall beside them, saving all of their lives.

"Ráfaga!" Mirajane exclaimed in joy. Naruto turned his head around, greeting Mirajane with an eye-smile. Wordlessly, he swiveled his head back to face Jose, whose eye was twitching at his attack being redirected with nonchalance. "Who the hell are you? You aren't any of the S-class mages in Fairy Tail."

"You can call me Ráfaga, or Aria, it doesn't matter which," Naruto smirked behind his mask as he lowered his hand. "Or you can call me by my real name, Naruto."

"Aria? Don't kid me! You can try to unsettle me all you like, but I won't fall for your parlor tricks!" Jose yelled, gathering his ghosts around his palm.

The gathered ghosts then roared towards Naruto, who faced down the attack with not a hint of fear. Raising his palms, the blond allowed the attack to contact his left hand. The magic slipped into his glove as if getting sucked in, and when it was all gone, the magic then erupted from Naruto's other palm, sent back at Jose himself. The guild master, startled, barely had time to react to his own attack getting thrown back at him. Dispelling his own magic was a breeze, but the shock factor was undeniable. He had never heard of anyone deflecting his _Dead Wave_ before, let alone absorb and send it back at him!

"Who are you, brat?! How did you do that?" Jose snarled, furiously thinking of another way to attack the blond. Naruto shrugged casually. "I'll be stupid if I told you my secrets. Anyhow, I know all of your moves from my time as Aria, given how much you like to brag about them, so don't bother fighting me and just surrender already."

"Why should I surrender?! My guild is in the better position right now!" Jose scoffed indignantly.

Naruto giggled, before bursting into outright laughter. Livid at the blatant disrespect, Jose fired off a few _Dark Explosions_, which were absorbed and reflected by Naruto dismissively. "Look, Makarov will be here soon, and you can't even beat me. You are in no position to negotiate, really."

"Makarov? Aria sealed up his magic! He won't be coming to rescue you brats!" Jose sneered smugly, before the seeds of doubt that Erza and Mirajane planted took root. "Wait, you…"

"Yea, me. If you know Aria's abilities well enough, then you should know that he can dismantle his own scripts as easily as he can plant them," Naruto said condescendingly. "And if _I'm_ Aria, then it's not unreasonable to assume Makarov will arrive soon to crush you."

"If you were pretending to be Aria, there's no way you'll follow through with my plans to ambush Makarov," Jose retorted hotly.

"And if I told you Makarov told me to keep myself hidden until now? That Mystogan needed time to take out your subdivisions so they can't wreak havoc on us?" Naruto explained, his grin widening at Jose's paling face. "Oh, did you really think we wouldn't know about your backup plan? That you wanted your subdivisions to pincer Fairy Tail ground forces with your shades? Do you believe me now, when I say I have been pretending to be a loyal part of your forces for the better part of six years?"

"What is happening?!" Elfman shouted, echoed fiercely by Gray. Erza angled her head to stare at Mirajane, who only smiled confidently back at her friend. "Trust him."

"H-How…" Jose stammered in incredulity. Naruto chuckled once more. "The old man looked rather convincing when he was ambushed, didn't he? I guess him not having any details on your exact plans helped his acting. I entrusted his counter seal with Mystogan so once he was done cleaning up your subdivisions, he can unseal the old fart to finish you off. He had faith that his children would not perish, that they would triumph as you pulled out one weapon after another, only for all of them to fail. His faith is repaid in full, I think, given you only have yourself and Gajeel in fighting shape now."

"You lie!" the Phantom master snapped in denial. "There's no reason for Makarov to send you to spy on Phantom! He couldn't possibly have predicted this!"

"Six years ago, he crushed your pride when you insulted Fairy Tail," Naruto intoned quietly, to Jose's surprise. No one but the guild masters knew of that incident. "He knew your nature, Jose, and fathomed your deepest desires. When your activities grew increasingly suspicious, he asked me to show my strength, to become your elite so I can be privy to your plans. He has been expecting an attack since six years ago. You needed an excuse to attack in Lucy, and you needed Gildarts out of the way because you didn't think anyone in Phantom can handle him. That's why it took so long for this attack to come to fruition, am I right?"

"You…you…" Jose muttered, realizing at that moment how prepared Makarov really was.

Naruto shook his head, as his eyes reflected his activated _Sennin Mōdo_. "I think I have spoken enough words now. Maybe you'd like to fight to take things off your mind?"

"G-Gladly!" Jose roared, unnerved by the revelations.

He summoned an exorbitant amount of ghouls around him, relying on the sheer weight of numbers to take down Naruto. If the blond man could nullify all his attacks by absorption and reflection, then using a mob of fearless, unkillable shades would be impossible to counter with that sort of magic. Around Naruto, four puffs of smoke precipitated the appearance of four more Narutos. The four of them rushed to form a square formation around the fallen Fairy Tail mages, and they sat in the lotus position facing the inside of the square. Chains sprouted from each of their backs, and stretched in three directions; forming what appeared to be a pyramid. Then, a blue light flickered between the interlocking masses of chains.

"Now you can't take any of my _nakama_ hostage," Naruto announced, cutting clean through two shades with one lazy swing of _Kubikiribōchō_. Even Jose baulked at the size of the weapon. "Let's get wild!"

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Inside the pyramidal barrier, Mirajane turned to the Naruto clone closest to her, an angry pout on her lips. "You could have told me, you know?"

"And what good would that have done, Mira-chan?" the clone replied serenely. "It would only have dragged you into a mess I would never wish for anyone in Fairy Tail to dirty their hands in."

"But that doesn't justify your actions against the guild!" Erza cut in, obviously upset at the deception. "You let all of this happen when you could have stopped it all! Jet, Droy, Levy, and everyone who's fighting for their lives could have been spared all of this had you spoken up!"

"They could have, and I should have protested harder against Master's decision," Naruto murmured contritely. "But what's done is done. I've played my unsavoury part in the war, and I suppose it will be best for all parties that when this battle ends, I leave the guild."

"W-What?" Erza stuttered, taken aback by Naruto's words. The blond man flashed her an eye-smile, looking completely at peace with his decision. "I lied to everyone, no? I could have done this differently. I could have fought Jose like I suggested to Makarov, heedless of his worry for me. I could have prevented everyone from being hurt. But I didn't. Hell, only five people in this guild know my real name. I've been lying and lying everyday to my guild for the past ten years. If that isn't a reason for expulsion I don't know what is."

"But you've done so much, sacrificed so much for this guild!" Mirajane shouted, desperately blinking hot tears away. "You've done so much for the people of Fiore as Maelstrom! You've…you've done so much for me! Is this really how little you view us? That we can't accept you in spite of all the good work that you've done?"

"Maelstrom?" Gray interjected, bemused. "You mean that blue-cloaked guy who goes around beating up dark guilds?"

"That's me, or at least, my cover to beat up dark guilds without implicating Fairy Tail," Naruto confirmed. Everyone bar Mirajane had thunderstruck looks plastered upon their faces at the revelation. "It's nothing, really. I just thought it would be good to keep an eye on the bad guys, and before I knew it, I was getting contracted to take them out."

"Your manly work shouldn't be hidden away like that! It's wrong to have omitted the truth from us, but you did as Master instructed!" Elfman shouted passionately, clearly inspired. "We should honour your manliness instead! There's no reason for you to leave Fairy Tail!"

"You won't think the same way once I confess the next little tidbit," Naruto replied wearily, his voice sounding far too tired for a spry man in his prime. "Ten years, I've been hiding things from all of you. I'm tired of lying, tired of the deceptions. I thought…I thought I could contribute in the way I best know how, by doing everything in the shadows as I was taught. But I realise that I never belonged from a long time ago, and I've finally come to terms with that. Legal guilds like Fairy Tail…they bask in the light. I revel in the shadows. I can't be in the light and the dark at the same time."

"Then step into the light! Become a fully legal mage! Stop doing all these things for Master!" Mirajane suggested tearfully. "Don't…don't just leave us like this!"

"There will always be the need for someone to get their hands dirty, and I rather do it all than let any of you have to," Naruto gently shot the ivory-haired girl down. "Listen carefully to what I'm about to say next, then you can decide if you still want me around."

The man took a deep breath, staring straight into Mirajane's teary orbs. "Lisanna is probably still alive."

Mirajane's eyes widened in astonishment, but even as Elfman protested the proclamation, Mirajane could see in Naruto's eyes that he was not lying. She stifled a sob as her fists involuntarily clenched in her lap. "Why? Why did you hide that information from us?"

Elfman was instantly silenced by his elder sister's apparent face value acceptance of Naruto's confession. Naruto didn't look away from Mirajane's accusatory gaze. He didn't regret the decision all those years ago, even if he felt incredibly guilty. But it was a good opportunity to ease that guilt, and ease his exit from Fairy Tail. Makarov would understand his decision; there was bound to be uproar over his role in the conflict with Phantom, and leaving was the easiest way to keep the peace._ This day has been a long time coming. I expected it, yet it still hurts to see Mira-chan's anger directed at me. I'm so soft now it's embarrassing._

"If someone dies, then you'll have a corpse, not a body that dissolves and floats to the sky," Naruto explained vaguely. "Lisanna is a smart girl, so I presume she's probably still alive. I know roughly where she might be, but I can't say anymore because I'll compromise some of my work."

"Work? You…you prioritized your work over Lisanna's well being?" Mirajane shrieked tearily, cracking the ground with her fist. Her magical power was rising rapidly, as her rage brought her ever closer to becoming the Demon Mirajane everyone once feared. "She loved you like a brother! How could you?!"

"Because I'm not your typical Fairy Tail member. Because I can see the consequences of what I do, and act accordingly. Because I knew that if I told you right then and there that Lisanna was only transported somewhere else, you and the rest of the guild would stop at nothing to retrieve her," Naruto shot back, allowing his ire at his own callous decisions to rise to the fore, masking the tremble in his voice. "You can't always wing it. You can't always pretend that everything will turn out okay after diving headfirst into trouble. I learnt that lesson when I was still young and naïve, but no one in Fairy Tail has caught on."

"And what, pray tell, would befall us if we tried to find Lisanna?" Erza enquired sarcastically, miffed at the criticism.

The blond doppelganger threw Erza a perfunctory glance, before turning his attention back to Mirajane. "War. We would have brought war on our heads…no, the whole of Fiore…a war that we cannot hope to win because less than five people in this world would know anything of the half-asleep beast we prodded so carelessly, and thus able to do anything about it. We would be crushed, and everyone would be dead because people can't think clearly when their loved ones are in danger."

Erza recoiled at the dull inevitability in Naruto's answer. Her anger faded slightly; she understood the difficulty of Naruto's position, even if she didn't agree with his choice to hide Lisanna's fate. Mirajane didn't seem at all convinced by the blond man's logic. "So you don't care for Lisanna? Did you ever care for me too? Or was everything between us a sham?"

"There was nothing between us, Mirajane," Naruto lied through his teeth, thankful for his facemask. It had been hard enough to learn how to keep inflections out of his voice; to force a scowl like an Uchiha would be a task in futility. "I can only express my sympathies that you wasted your time working towards a relationship with me."

"Then leave," Mirajane whispered, almost too soft for Naruto to catch. She stared at her lap, unwilling to meet Naruto's gaze anymore. "Leave this guild, and never come back."

Naruto cursed himself within as he saw the fresh bout of tears that dripped into Mirajane's lap. "I will."

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Naruto faltered in his tracks as his doppelganger telepathically showed him what was happening inside the pyramidal barrier that enclosed the Fairy Tail mages he was trying to protect. The shades tried to dogpile him, but he recovered in time to protect himself with _Fūton: Kaiten_, blowing the shades away. The turbulent winds gave Naruto a breather as he stared at a cackling Jose Porla. He had to admit, Jose really deserved his place as a Wizard Saint. However, the man had been using Naruto's usual tactic from when he was still a kid; mobbing the enemy with copies. Granted, the shades Jose employed were far stronger than his clones, but the tactic was roughly the same.

He had been sandbagging to see what sort of threat Jose really posed. Thus far, given the man's reluctance to use any of his spells beyond summoning shades, he didn't really have a good handle on Jose's strength. That caution was admirable; plenty of enemies he fought didn't take into account his _Hiraishin_ gloves, and promptly got a face full of their own attack even after they got a first hand demonstration. He was pretty sure with a good light spell, he could eradicate the shades, but he didn't possess anything like that. If he still had the _bijū_ Kurama with him, he could just _Bijūdama_ the hell out of the place, but that ship had sailed a decade ago.

Seeing as continuing the fight was going to be pointless, and the shaking building felt like it was on the verge of collapse, Naruto decided to try and end the battle. Allowing bursts of wind from his feet to propel him up into the air, he floated above the battleground, tossing dozens of _Hiraishin_ _kunai_ all over the place. Jose dodged them easily as did his shades, the Phantom master only laughing at the feeble attempt at an attack. Ignoring the man's taunt, Naruto focused on the tag closest to Jose.

Jose had no time to be shocked as Naruto's _Rasengan_ nearly hit his shoulder. But instead of hitting the Phantom mage, a shade interposed itself between Naruto and Jose, the ethereal warrior dispelling with a violent pop. Naruto ground his teeth in frustration at having to deal with the relatively clever shades. They were almost completely independent of Jose, which explained how he could fight separately from the shades that were mobbing Fairy Tail on the ground. Naruto wondered if those were real ghosts, but shook that thought off. No need to scare himself while in a fight.

Jose had already stumbled away, hurling _Dead Waves_ at Naruto. The blond blinked out of his position, reappearing in front of Jose. The man was saved by an intervening shade crossing its arms above its head, catching the massive _Kubikiribōchō_ as it chopped down, only managing to nick Jose's forehead. Naruto encased his entire leg in slicing winds as he spun, lopping off the head and raised arms of the shade, dispelling it. Jose retaliated by sending his ghosts to wrap around Naruto. The blond lost his grip on _Kubikiribōchō_ as the ghostly ropes snapped around him, constricting his entire body.

With a thunderous roar, Naruto unleashed a full body wave of wind chakra that exuded from every pore, eradicating every shade within five metres of him as well as destroying the ghosts that were restraining him. Jose was blown backwards, and fortunately for him, away from the field of _Hiraishin_ _kunai_. Landing adroitly, Naruto picked up _Kubikiribōchō_, cutting down the five shades that tried to attack him from behind. From above his head, a sudden flash of lightning struck him on the shoulder. If not for his _Sennin Mōdo_, he would have been taken out. Instead, it electrocuted him lightly, fraying his nerves and affecting his cognition for a few seconds.

As he struggled to recover his bodily functions, Jose struck. Naruto's breath left his lungs forcefully as a _Dead Wave_ struck him head on, blowing him past a dozen shades and into a wall. The flight through the air and subsequent impact seemed to have removed any lingering effects of the lightning, although a long, ugly wound now cut across his torso from left shoulder to right hip. His cuirass, now in twain, was tugged off, allowing Naruto to inspect his wound better. It was a shallow cut compared to some injuries he'd sustained before; _Sennin Mōdo_ was a godsend on that front. Blood oozed from the wound sluggishly, but Naruto was confident he could take Jose down before blood loss got to him.

Forming a dozen clones, half immediately ran interference as they formed a rough semicircle that kept the shades at bay. Two of the _Kage Bunshin_ stayed with the original Naruto, with the final four dashing out of the makeshift human barrier, chains sprouting out from their hands to try and restrain Jose. The wily Wizard Saint was equal to the task, dodging the clones without breaking a sweat. A _Fūton: Rasenshuriken_ hummed in his hand as the shrill whistling noise grew louder and louder, attracting Jose's attention. His momentary pause was enough for a chain to snag his leg, and that led to a full body bind almost instantly. Naruto hopped onto the shoulder of a clone, before launching off the doppelganger, hurling the shrieking disc at the immobilized Phantom Lord master.

Jose roared as he released his full power, the sickly magic disrupting the structural integrity of the clones holding him down, popping them all. As he prepared to jump out of the way, Naruto released his control over the _Rasenshuriken_, allowing it to expand with impunity. The sphere of raging winds shook the entire building as it bore through the floor they were fighting on, just managing to catch Jose's right arm before he got out of the attack radius. The _Darkness Magic_ mage screamed as his arm was turned to little more than loose flesh, the little slicing blades of wind chakra cutting his muscles and tendons to bits.

With Jose struggling to think past the pain of his mangled arm, Naruto took the opportunity to cut down every shade in the room with wind-enhanced swipes of _Kubikiribōchō_. Jose sucked in a deep breath as he hovered his left palm over his arm, gathering ghosts to wrap around the limb in a cast. Naruto had to applaud the versatility of the Phantom mage's little ghosts; they could even numb pain and allow him jerky use of his hand, an arm that would take months, if not years to heal properly. It was a bit like puppeteering his own arm, which Naruto hoped took concentration, because their fight was still pretty even so far.

_Well, my capabilities are geared towards fighting ninja or large numbers, not mages who uses ghosts, damn it,_ Naruto groused in his head, as he dispelled all but two clones. With a quick telepathic message, they all flashed through hand seals, standing side by side. Jose swung both his arms in wide arcs, two large waves of ghosts barreling towards them in the largest _Dead Wave_ Naruto had seen the man use yet. All three Narutos focused on their tasks, and in synchrony, they each inhaled deeply. The combination of a spiralling blast of wind, a ball of flames and extremely flammable oil crashed against the ethereal energy blast with explosive results. The ground in between Naruto and Jose crumbled before melting into slag. Hot, flaming oil splashed everywhere.

Naruto expertly used his control over wind to feed his fires more air. The sudden influx in oxygen caused the flames to expand forcefully, blowing both Jose and Naruto back and dissipating the two clones. Naruto crashed heavily into the pyramid that held his guild mates, while Jose found himself embedded in a wall. The oil splattered across the area, leaving puddles of flaming, hissing oil all over the battlefield. Angry red splotches could be seen on Jose's exposed skin and tattered clothes; the early signs of burns from the bits of oil that got onto him.

"How…how did someone like you hide from scrutiny so well?" Jose hissed, clambering slowly out of the impact crater his body made in the concrete. Naruto coughed lightly, smearing the blood trickling from the corner of his lips with his sleeve. "Because I'm not a mage. I'm a _ninja_. But that matters little now, given who's just arrived."

"Naruto…I apologise for everything you've had to do," Makarov spoke out, as he walked slowly upon the scene. "The building's about to collapse. Let the children retreat."

Naruto nodded, dispelling the four clones that held his barrier up. The unanimous, joyous cry of 'Master!' twisted Naruto's stomach into an uncomfortable knot. Makarov ordered the four to retreat, and they did so with little complaint. Only Erza looked back at the unmoving form of Naruto; Mirajane kept her eyes firmly ahead. Makarov surveyed the damage to the area, before throwing a questioning glance at Naruto. The blond man shrugged helplessly.

"I'm leaving the guild at the end of this," Naruto announced to the diminutive man, who stumbled over nothing at that declaration. "What? What happened?"

"You can talk to any of those four earlier. I've made my decision, and you won't be able to change it, old fart," Naruto stated firmly, voice brooking no argument. "I think it's the best for everyone that I go. I was never meant to be a part of Fairy Tail anyway."

"You belong to the guild as much as anyone of us do," Makarov snapped.

Naruto chuckled morosely. "Thanks for your vote of confidence. But I was never a mage. I was just pretending to be one. It's been a fun ride, these few years in Fairy Tail."

"We're going to talk about this later," Makarov said warningly.

Naruto spun on his heels, his back facing Jose. He had faith Makarov would not let his rival guild master harm him. "Sure we are. It's an honour to have served you, Makarov Dreyar. I hope my services haven't disappointed you. I'll see you around."

With those parting words, Naruto vanished into thin air. Makarov sighed, even as he faced his opponent. A surge of sympathy for Jose's pathetic, near-crippled state was overwhelmed by his righteous fury at the man's cruelty and actions against his children. "It's impressive that you became a Wizard Saint at your young age. You could have been a great role model for the younger generation had you used your powers for good. Naruto has inflicted much damage on you. On account of our similar positions as guild master and Wizard Saint, and Fairy Tail's justice system…"

"**I shall give you until the count of three. Kneel,**" Makarov threatened, growing into a titan that dwarfed over the exhausted yet pridefully unyielding Jose Porla.

"Forget it, old codger! You have no power over me! Even in this state, I can defeat you!" Jose boasted loudly. "You should be the one kneeling!"

"**So be it.**"

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"You are far too manipulative, Naruto-_sensei_," Mystogan commented airily.

The two mages sat at the highest beam of the unfinished frame that was going to be the base of the new Fairy Tail guild headquarters. The moon hung brightly in the twinkling night sky, illuminating the near empty guild grounds and the abandoned Phantom building in front of them. Naruto only smiled mysteriously at his pupil, his mask pulled down to beneath his chin as he sucked on a lollipop. "So you heard. I hope I didn't make things difficult for you by revealing Lisanna's fate."

"You know as well as I do that you didn't leak anything about _Anima_, Edolas or my involvement in Lisanna's 'disappearance'," Mystogan snorted, before his voice softened with worry. "You don't have to put up an act around me, you know."

"How are Mira and Cana coping?" Naruto finally asked, offering his student a fresh lollipop. The Edolas prince declined the saccharine treat. "Cana moved out in a huff, as you should know, even though you were seemingly out of town and away from everyone's sight these last few days. She's back in Fairy Hills, and drinking herself into a drunken stupor every night. Mirajane is pretty devastated, but they all have support from the rest of the guild, so they will recover in due time. I doubt you are really bothered by anyone else's reactions to the truth, but just so you know, there was quite a bit of anger. But there was grudging respect too, for your part in doing Master's dirtier work without complaint."

"Did the old man try to say anything to mitigate my actions?" Naruto queried curiously. "I hope I didn't cause too much trouble for him."

"He just explained his rationale, apparently confirming what you told those four when you fought Master Jose. Everyone accepted it eventually, and Wakaba-san has expressed his wish for his regular drinking partner to come back. The news about your infiltration as Aria on Master's orders has also made Lucy feel less guilty about _her_ involvement in this business," Mystogan remarked wryly. "I'm still in awe at that, by the way. Six years is a long time for you to be pretending to be two people at the same time."

"I've done way, way more than just two identities at one go. Aria was just one of the longest infiltration ops I did," Naruto bragged, before the duo fell silent once more.

Mystogan broke the silence first. "Have you considered what you want to do after this? Become an independent mage? Maybe you can invite your Hato-chan to join you in a new guild?"

"I've considered that, but she's still an immense help with valuable counter-intelligence work that is succeeding in keeping Tartaros from causing legal guilds too much trouble," Naruto replied. "In any case, I have a summons to Era for tomorrow, as Maelstrom. Yajima-dono implied that it's something to do with replacing Jose Porla."

"As one of the Wizard Saints?" Mystogan inferred. Naruto shrugged. "I'm as much in the dark as you are. I'm guessing it's probably that, though I don't see why they've suddenly changed their minds about choosing Maelstrom as one of the Wizard Saints. They were against it for years, and your Earthland counterpart took that spot eventually."

"You should accept the title if it were offered," Mystogan commented sagaciously. "Having some clout will help when you've just left your guild. Or you can choose to apologise for your actions, and be welcomed back into Fairy Tail instantly. I have no doubt time heals all wounds, even those as deep as betrayal. Besides, your deception was not truly betrayal, but your own roundabout way of protecting the guild."

"Thanks for the suggestions, my student who is seven years my junior, and who is in no capacity to give me worldly advice," Naruto rolled his eyes. As if he didn't know anything about how the world or Fairy Tail worked. "Maybe you'll like to recite to me the three rules about leaving Fairy Tail too?"

Mirth danced in Mystogan's orbs as he stared unflinchingly into his teacher's mock angry eyes. "You must never reveal sensitive information about Fairy Tail as long as you live. You must never use former contacts met through your time in the guild for personal gain. Though our paths may have diverged, you must continue to live out your life with all your might, never consider your life to be something insignificant, and you must never forget your friends and dearest Mira-chan for as long as you live."

"Keep up the teasing, and you'll find yourself naked, strung up and hanging upside down from this very wooden beam come tomorrow morning," Naruto smirked, before sighing theatrically. "You know, I reckon if I didn't bless you with the presence of my greatness in your life, you'll end up as some prudish, philosophy-spouting martyr."

"Says the man who pranced around the countryside, saving people under an alias for years," Mystogan retorted.

"Touché."


	13. Chapter 12: Wizard Saint

**Author's Notes:** Again, please don't be amazed by my upload speed. I wrote a lot of the story before I posted it up, and progress has ground to a halt since a few days ago :( Pre-college matters have been stressing me out, and I really need to find a job so as to not waste my days before college begins. All of that has cut into my writing time and driven away the fire that burnt so brightly two months ago, when I started writing this story. I'm so sorry guys! Chapter 15 will be the last you see of this story for what might be a very long while :(:(:(

I've only just read my reviews, and I saw one that informed me that I had portrayed a 'don't like, don't read' attitude in my author's notes, which comes across as quite conceited. If anyone else feels angered in the same way, a thousand apologies! I never meant it that way; I just wanted everyone to know that there's no need to get worked up over my story (like some reviewers seem to have), because it's not worth it. There are far better stories out there that demand your loving attention and faithful readership. It's great to see reviews of any kind, because that means that you guys care enough to spend time crafting a response to my story. But there's no need to feel any sort of disappointment or irritation! Please don't let my story affect you in any negative manner. I never want that to happen :(

I hope I never end up offending anyone again, accidentally or not. If you feel like I'm being standoffish/sardonic/arrogant or just plain horrible in any way, please tell me, and I'll try and clear the air with you! Like I said, I just want people to enjoy my story. If you don't, don't let my poor writing get to you! Enjoy your day reading better stories out there! :)

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto or Fairy Tail.

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**Chapter 12: Wizard Saint (X784)**

Naruto hoped Makarov had the sense to pass off his contributions to the guild building restoration as the guild master's own work, as he lounged about in his apartment in Era. In the night before his arrival in Era (a low key _Hiraishin_ straight into his apartment, thus avoiding all the Rune Knights anticipating his appearance at the entrances), he had used his _Kage Bunshin_ to fix up a good section of the main structural frame, and helping dig out the swimming pool he knew Makarov had been planning to add. He only made the brief visit to talk to Mystogan and to help the restoration of the guild headquarters a little; ever since he left Makarov to deal with Jose, he had been staying in Era.

As for Kurama, the fox was sorely disappointed by Naruto's decision to leave. It was mainly because bust sizes have ballooned since the girls were hit by puberty; Kurama rather enjoyed being sunggled into soft, squishy boobs, and now, he couldn't melt into the sweet nirvana that was Mirajane's hugs. The sulking animal had refused to talk to Naruto since he found out about the man leaving Fairy Tail, and was following Mystogan around now; the crimson animal was trying to cajole the blue-haired mage into drooling over girls in bikinis, as they tracked down an _Anima_ near the Akane Resort.

Left to suffer in the silence of an empty apartment, Naruto found himself hating the dreariness of his Era residence, given how he was so used to the vibrant life in Magnolia Town. But it wasn't the time to reminisce the wonderful times he spent in Fairy Tail, nor was it the time to regret his actions. He didn't regret giving the rest of the guild hope of finding Lisanna once again, and he certainly didn't regret hiding that factoid in the first place. It would be cruel irony if Lisanna was dead in Edolas, but Naruto had faith that one day, she would return to her family safe and sound.

Shaking the sullen throughts from his mind, Naruto shrugged on a fresh navy cloak, bereft of the _Henge_ seal he designed so long ago. It would be unnecessary to fake his looks today, as he had planned on revealing his identity. There was no need to hide it anymore, given his departure from Fairy Tail. Any announcement made by the Council with regards to his allegiances would identify him as an independent mage anyway, because he knew that they would be worried about the backlash of hiring a Fairy Tail mage to do their work. It was well known the Magic Council was not the biggest fan of Fairy Tail and how their mages left behind a trail of heavy collateral damage everywhere they went. It would be a huge blow to their pride if they told the world that their go-to guy was a former member of the legal guild they detested the most.

Heck, if he were ordered to, he would have no qualms removing his facemask either. For all the bullshit he spouted to Ikaruga about hiding his features for the safety of his precious people, his facemask was just as recognizable. Sure, using his real face at times could provide another guise, but that was not a substantial reason for the use of the mask. Everyone in Fairy Tail associated the mask with him; that made usage of the cloth rather pointless for hiding his identity. No, the true reason for the cloth mask was merely homage to Kakashi, just like the position of his Fairy Tail emblem was a tribute to Jiraiya teaching him the _Rasengan_. Inventing cock-and-bull stories about himself was also something inspired by Kakashi, who never failed to come out with ludicrous (and looking back, hilarious) excuses for being tardy.

Stepping out of his apartment, Naruto sucked in a deep whiff of the cool morning air. Era was seated in a valley surrounded by snowy peaks and lush forestry, and the air was exceptionally fresh. It was quite early in the day, and hence the streets were relatively empty. That meant less attention on Naruto, as he strolled casually through the paved walkways towards the gratuitous fake mountain the Council headquarters sat upon. It was, to Naruto's knowledge, a dirt mound that the Council had raised with the help of a powerful _Earth Magic_ user. The entire thing reeked of arrogance and self-indulgence.

The entire city's inhabitants were all screened thoroughly by the Rune Knights before they could live in the vicinity of the Magic Council. Naruto only managed to get himself an apartment through a fair bit of embellishment. To Naruto, Era was merely a way for the Magic Council to preen; before their establishment in the area, it was a sleepy town nobody gave a second glance to. All their work seemed to point to a crippling need for a prim and proper, high and mighty image. Hence, Naruto didn't have a high opinion of most members of the Council, no matter what sort of credentials they possessed. He would accuse them of being incompetent since they allowed Jellal Fernandes into the Council under an alias, but given that few had the sort of information he did (namely, that Jellal is not twins with his alter ego as the man had suggested to Erza), and he didn't actually share that information, he could ignore that oversight.

With regards to Jellal, he was still in the dark as to what the man's end game was. He knew of Jellal's involvement as a slave forced to help build the R-System, and while Erza was tight-lipped about what really happened before she escaped the Tower of Heaven, Naruto figured her attempt to attack Siegrain before meant that Jellal was a villain. Infiltrating the Magic Council must have been for an important cog of Jellal's plan; it was a risky venture that could have been blown by Erza right from the start, even if Jellal had managed to keep himself away from prying eyes for years. But Naruto didn't even know if Jellal was aiming to finish the R-System or something else entirely; there was no lead he could trace. He couldn't find the Tower in Fiore either, and since Erza stayed mum about it, there was nothing Naruto could do.

That meant he gave up on his investigations on Jellal early on. He kept the thought of Jellal's villainy in the back of his mind, and went on to do more productive things. Those productive things ended up putting him on the Council's radar though, which was why he was now staring up at the gaudy hill the headquarters sat on, a set of winding paths circling up the hill leading to the top before him. He was not really into the whole recognition thing any more; he had gained his acknowledgement a long time ago, and he learnt that you didn't need to be elected as the most important person in the world to protect your precious people.

Frankly, the idea of becoming a Wizard Saint was distasteful, almost abhorrent to Naruto now. He may not have been the most ninja of ninja back in the Elemental Countries, but he was practically shrouded in darkness by Earthland standards. Espionage work was something he could sink his teeth into without facing any sort of competent competition, and he found it quite fun. It was like pulling off big, messy pranks that yielded important intelligence, intelligence that could help take down dark guilds. That, and he learnt the importance of information in any world. Knowledge is power. Asking him to be a public figure was basically collaring and leashing him, telling him that no, the Council doesn't need you for your work anymore; you can be our new cover model instead.

He wondered if he could argue down the nomination. But if the notoriously prickly Chairman approved of it, Naruto doubted there was any hope for that happening. Of course, in the grand scheme of things, being a Wizard Saint didn't _actually_ impede any of his intelligence work. Infiltrations were all done under disguises anyway, and Maelstrom was so well known in Fiore that he was practically a Wizard Saint already. He relied on Trinity Raven for all his information these days, and was only actively maintaining one alias, in Raven Tail. But he still didn't like the idea of being any more shackled to the Magic Council. He always had problems with authority, and the Council was one of the worst sorts of authority; reeking of arrogance, overly image-conscious and full of bureaucratic bullshit.

Trudging up the path to the top was a slow business, because while Naruto could toss a _Hiraishin kunai_ and teleport, or even just fly up there, he didn't think the guards would appreciate his grandiose entrance. The Rune Knights had a small, permanent outpost of elite guardsmen protecting the headquarters and within, their commanders. Naruto knew the current commander wasn't exactly a big fan of his, even if there was grudging respect. He would be under arrest and thrown into a jail cell if he so much as sneezed at the wrong moment. Hence, he decided to save himself the trouble, and be on his best behaviour for the duration of the visit.

At the end of his path, there stood a giant archway built into the ivory walls that surrounded the edge of the plateau the Council building was seated upon. The imposing entrance was not overtly guarded, but Naruto knew that through placement of magical runes, he was supposedly under observation already. Of course, those runes were only triggered by a magical presence, or visible movement. Naruto didn't have a shred of magic in his veins; he was only detectable by such sensors if he used _Sennin Mōdo_. It was like a cheat code for snooping around, one Naruto gladly took advantage of, along with _Tōton Jutsu_. It was no surprise that no one had any clue as to how he skulked around, or how he suppressed his magical powers.

The wide-open space before the Council headquarters was bereft of any sentient presence. Naruto supposed it made more sense to guard the dignitaries instead of the well-trimmed meadows, but it still felt awfully inviting for an attack. If he were in charge of the Rune Knights, then he would at least instruct his men to put up as many runic wards as the space would allow. Putting the defence protocols of the Rune Knights out of his mind, he walked up to the large sheltered patio, passing the two tall statues of hooded men. The massive double doors were wide open, with one of the amphibian creatures that the Magic Council hired standing in the way. This particular one was a shade of viridian green, with various dark spots all over its smooth head.

"Maelstrom-sama," the creature croaked. "Please follow me."

His guide brought him winding through the wide marbled hallways of the headquarters, occasionally passing small patrols of Rune Knights. Naruto already knew the layout of the place by heart, and could guess where they would be meeting, but allowed his escort to lead him. The two stopped before a large set of double doors, decorated with intricate designs of angels and warriors. Naruto only wished they put more effort into governing than interior design, as the guide pushed the doors open, ushering Naruto into a large antechamber.

Another set of doors barred their way, which was a whole lot of pointless posturing again. In the antechamber were two rows of red velvet armchairs, lined up against the walls on either side. It was presumably for seating guests before they met with the Council for whatever matter could concern them. The amphibian cracked the second set of doors open, slipping through them to speak with whoever was on the other side. Naruto waited patiently in the middle of the antechamber, briefly admiring his reflection in the white and black rhombic marble tiles that shone beneath his feet. His escort returned briefly, crooking a finger at Naruto.

The blond nodded succinctly, and strode forwards. The guide pushed the doors open as he did so, allowing him to pass through the doorway rather grandly. As Naruto suspected, he was greeted by the Magic Council in what Naruto termed as a throne room in his head. It was a massive hall, with two columns of white marble pillars stretching from one end to the other. To the right was a balcony that stretched the length of the hall, allowing sunlight to bathe the entire place in its warm glow. The white ceiling was sculptured with great love and care, the Council having hired the best sculptors across Fiore to carve the masterpiece by hand. Various statues of winged women, reminiscent of those that stood along the path to the building, were arranged between each pillar.

The members of the Magic Council were seated at the end of the hall, a long rectangular table separating them from their guests. The table was an elaborate wooden piece, and from rumours, carved from a single massive log imbued with great magic. High-backed chairs cushioned with royal purple velvet gave the entire place a more regal aura. All of this was elevated a foot off the ground, seated on a raised dais with steps all around the platform. As Naruto walked towards the Council, his feet moving noiselessly across the marble, he noticed that there were only nine members there to greet him. The Chairman of the Magic Council was conspicuously missing, which injected some doubt as to what Naruto was really here for. After all, even if he were nominated and recommended by all the Councilmen to be a Wizard Saint, it would still need a final nod of approval from the Chairman.

There was a final seat in the hallway, one that was facing the Council. It was a carbon copy of the armchairs in the waiting antechamber, a far simpler armchair that dispensed with the comfort and extravagance the Councilmen's seats possessed. The height of the platform ensured that the seated mage would have to look up to face the Councilmen addressing him or her. Scoffing at the bloated egos that filled the seats on the dais, Naruto slipped into the seat provided for him, allowing his face to be shadowed even as Org, second seat and deputy of the Chairman began speaking.

"Maelstrom. I can't say it's a pleasure to finally meet you in person," Org rumbled, staring down at the hooded figure. "But I have to respect your contributions to the Council over the last decade."

Naruto remained silent, allowing Org to continue speaking. "Do you know why you have been summoned here today, Maelstrom?"

"No," was the terse reply.

Org laughed smugly as he folded his arms across his chest. "Well, it looks like even the infamous Maelstrom is fallible! Some people think of you as omniscient and omnipotent, but you are a mere mortal, and mortals have limits too. No one is flawless!"

"Is this merely a session for you to demonstrate to me that you possess more political power than I do, or are we discussing Jose Porla and his now empty Wizard Saint position?" Naruto commented in boredom, making a show of buffing his nails on his cloak and observing them. Siegrain and Ultear burst into peals of amused laughter, while the older members of the Council were red-faced with fury. Michello stood up from his seat, pointing a finger at Naruto. "Enough of your disrespect, Maelstrom! You are in the presence of the great Magic Council! Hold your tongue, or face incarceration!"

"And you believe you are capable of stopping me from escaping your clutches?" Naruto scorned, crossing his legs as he leaned back into his seat. "Please don't make a further mockery of yourself or your esteemed counterparts, Councilman Michello-sama. Everyone in this room knows of my deeds, but do any of you know what I'm truly able to accomplish? I have the schedules of every single important individual living in this building, down to the minutes. For example, Belno-sama has a case of constipation, and uses the bathroom at eight o'clock every morning, with the aid of some laxatives."

Said Councilwoman blushed in embarrassment and ire at her daily bowel movements being recounted for everyone on the Council to hear. Naruto shrugged, folding his arms. "I'm sure your Rune Knights are fully capable of imprisoning me in this monolithic waste of expenses you call home. Go on! Call your Knights in here to arrest me for my misdemeanours as you wish so dearly to do. We'll test your theory about holding me prisoner in your cells."

"Enough!" Org shouted, quelling any noises from his fellow Council members. "Please refrain from being so crass. I believe we can continue our discussions…civilly."

"Very well. Proceed with whatever you wish to speak with me about," the navy-cloaked man waved his hand blithely. The gray-haired Org had to restrain his simmering wrath, taking a few deep breaths to suppress his temper. "You are right to assume that we are discussing Jose Porla. After rigorous questioning, we have concluded that the seventh-ranked Wizard Saint and guild master of Phantom Lord was culpable for the guild war between Fairy Tail and Phantom Lord. Phantom Lord has since been disbanded, and Jose Porla stripped of his title."

"When the Council convened to elect a new mage as a Wizard Saint, Yajima, Seigrain and Ultear nominated you," Michello continued, clearly disgusted by the decision. "Your inclusion into the elite group has been mooted for years, but due to your reclusiveness, we deemed you unsuitable for the position."

"However, as there is a dearth of capable mages with the right attributes to receive the title of Wizard Saint, we have fallen back on you as an option," the white-hooded Leiji sneered snidely. "As much as it dismays me to say this, but you have a sterling reputation and a strong rapport with the citizens and mages of Fiore. You are seen as a beacon of hope, a warrior of few equals and someone who is willing to risk life and limb to ensure our world is a safer place to live in."

"While these platitudes from the people do not impress us in the least, we recognize the positive impact of choosing someone as well respected as you," Belno remarked snootily. "Your name, synonymous with bravery and chivalry, will reflect well upon the Council should we select you as Jose Porla's replacement."

"You ought to thank Yajima-dono for his support, Maelstrom," Siegrain added, lounging languorously in his armchair. "It seems your constant correspondence with him has left quite the indelible impact. Ultear and I only threw in our names in support because we wanted these old codgers to blow a gasket at the thought of you being a Wizard Saint."

"That, and we want to know who you are," Ultear smirked, leaning her chin on steepled fingers. "So, our condition for your recognition as one of the Ten Wizard Saints is for you to reveal your identity to us. Will you comply, or do we have to force that hood off your head?"

"I don't suppose if I choose not to reveal myself, I can decline the position?" Naruto responded, to Ultear's amused giggles. "No, unfortunately. Though we might not seem like it, but everyone at this table is powerful, and Siegrain is a Wizard Saint as well. Defeating you might be difficult, but removing your hood will be a far simpler task for us."

"I don't see why you need a replacement for Jose Porla so urgently," the golden-haired ninja pointed out.

"Our wisdom has been questioned in the wake of Jose Porla's activities. People believe we are incapable of properly assessing mages for such a coveted and respected position," Yajima answered honestly. "You have been touted by the people as a perfect candidate, and your name was in the running for the place Siegrain now holds. We need to regain the citizens' confidence in us, and do so swiftly and effectively."

_I'd say. You have a potential disaster in the making sitting right there,_ Naruto mused within. Outwardly, he cleared his throat. "So basically, I have no choice in the matter, and you just want to make it look like I've accepted your generosity with gratefulness and humility."

"It is a very generous offer, Maelstrom, make no mistake about that," Org bit back, annoyed at Naruto's dismissal of the prestigious title. "Many better men and women than you have come and gone, and never had a chance to receive this honourable recognition of mages with great ability and character."

"I have another question before all this is concluded," Naruto spoke, pausing to stare pointedly at the empty seat in the middle. "Where's the Chairman? Is he not the one with the final decision as to who becomes a Wizard Saint and who doesn't?"

"He is away on business, but he had given his reluctant approval before he left," Org answered. "He sees you as an asset that can do much good for the world. It is in your best interests to accept the title, and with it all the clout and acknowledgement a Wizard Saint holds."

"Very well," Naruto conceded, although he had long weighed the pros and cons of accepting the title. He removed the hood off his head, exposing his mop of unruly blond hair, cerulean orbs and a dark facemask that covered the rest of his features. "My name is Uzumaki Naruto, also known as Ráfaga Remolino of Fairy Tail."

"Fairy Tail?!" Org and several other Councilmen exclaimed. Org turned to Yajima, face contorted in a rictus of fury. "Did you know, Yajima?!"

"Yes, but he requested me to keep that association secret, as he fears for the lives of his comrades," Yajima replied genially. "Remember the copycat incident, Org-sama? He informed me of his allegiance only because he needed to earn my trust. Please judge his actions on their own merit, and not in view of his guild affiliations. After all, he has completed many missions for us, and achieved great success without causing the trouble you so often denounce Fairy Tail for making."

"That…I…" Org stumbled over his words, the offer now up in the air. They were blindsided by the information, information that may have impacted on the Chairman's final verdict. After all, most of the Council held no love for Fairy Tail and its mages. Siegrain, enjoying the situation far too much, smirked deviously as he cradled his cheek in his hand. "Well, if you people are so adamant on crucifying Fairy Tail and all their members, then maybe Uzumaki-san should leave Fairy Tail? That should solve all your problems, no?"

"We do not make decisions based on our personal opinions. We are above judging a mage based on his affiliations," Belno sniffed haughtily, a statement that elicited an outpouring of murmured agreements. Org cleared his throat, silencing the rest of the Council. "Yajima has shown staunch support for you, and his opinion, while possibly tainted by his former status as a Fairy Tail member, is highly regarded amongst his peers here. Of course, as the leaders and role models of the magic world, we always honour our words. As Yajima says, we should judge a mage by his accomplishments and not the people he surrounds himself with."

"If you are so concerned about my connection to Fairy Tail, then you should be pleased to hear that I left the guild a week ago," Naruto commented offhandedly, stunning everyone. Yajima, in particular, was completely dumbstruck. Ultear, the first to recover from her shock, addressed the blond man. "I hope you don't mind me asking, but what brought this on?"

"Notice how I introduced myself as Ráfaga Remolino of Fairy Tail? I've been hiding things from my own guild too, and they didn't take it too well when I revealed some truths. I thought my departure was for the best," Naruto replied dryly. "If you think it's an indication that I am not a trustworthy individual, so be it. I have no designs on the title of Wizard Saint anyway."

"I think it's a bit too late to back out of this now," Siegrain grinned mirthfully. The whole meeting had been entertaining, to say the least. "You are indeed a special sort of mage, Uzumaki-san. To go through all the trouble of hiding your real identity from everyone, even your closest comrades…do they, perchance, know of your exploits as Maelstrom?"

"Not a clue. I deemed it a security risk for anyone to know. Fairy Tail mages, by and large, are rather chatty," Naruto answered blithely. "No offence meant, Yajima-dono. It's a fact you can't deny."

"A man who is ruled by logic, and can make the difficult decisions with a clear head and a ruthless heart," Ultear remarked, her eyes filled with interest. "Now that is a man I can admire. You have earned my respect, Uzumaki-san. You have my full support, and I suppose Siegrain-sama is of the same opinion?"

"Indeed," Siegrain chuckled. "Org, maybe you should present him with his medallion now?"

Grumbling under his breath, Org slipped his hands into his voluminous robes, and retrieved a black velvet box. He gestured from Naruto to come forward, and pushed the box across the table. Naruto slowly walked up the steps, and as he reached the table, Org opened the box, revealing a round medallion nestled in red cloth. The second seat of the Council snapped the box shut, giving it a little push towards the newly instated Wizard Saint. Naruto took the box, slipping it into his own cloak.

"That will be all, Uzumaki Naruto," Org declared. "Keep the medallion on you. It has enchantments that allow for the Council to communicate with you if there is such a need."

"I shall take my leave then, honoured Councilmen," Naruto bowed, before he disappeared in a swirl of flaming leaves. The Councilmen spluttered as ash flew into their faces, inducing a round of laughter from the two younger Council members. Siegrain struggled to hold back his chuckles as he stood to leave. "I like this guy. I like him a lot. C'mon Ultear, let's leave these old farts to their miserable griping."

"Tata!" Ultear waved cheerily, as the two sauntered out of the hall.

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Naruto had been so overcome with boredom for the past few days that he had been drawing up plans for pranking the Rune Knights. There was even a dark period when he was prepared to gawk at his collection of Ikaruga's nudies. Resisting the urge to do so was a triumphant moment for the man, who refused to succumb to his subordinate's wiles. He had no choice but to think about her, however, when a missive was sent to his apartment, informing him that Jellal Fernandes had hired Trinity Raven, and they were posted to a completed Tower of Heaven as guards.

As he was still stationing himself in Era, he could easily have told Yajima about the crisis situation that was developing away from the Council's notice. However, Siegrain would be present at meetings, and there was no guarantee he could stop Jellal's plans by informing the Council beforehand. He might even work it into Jellal's favour, as he still had no idea what his position in the Council contributed to his plan. So he listened in on Council meetings, clinging onto the ceilings of their meeting hall to eavesdrop on them. Watching the discussion going on beneath him, he was infinitely glad there was no room for him on the Council.

Siegrain's insistence on using _Etherion_ caught Naruto's attention, and from then on, things just went downhill as the Wizard Saint convinced the Magic Council to go through with blasting the hell out of the Tower of Heaven. Only Yajima had the sense to vote against the gesture, which was incredibly stupid when they had no idea what they were up against. A good recon of the Tower, and unraveling Jellal's plan before things got too dicey was a far better option. Unfortunately, everyone was scared stiff by the mention of Zeref, and that was the clincher for Jellal.

It was impossible for Naruto to connect with any member of Trinity Raven with _Telepathy_ over such a large distance of land and sea, but he had Ikaruga carry a _Hiraishin kunai_ in case there was ever a need for her to summon him. To escape the Tower with his lackeys in tow, however, was a bit trickier. Due to the lower density of Eternano compared to natural energy, _Hiraishin_ was far harder to execute in Earthland. The technique involved travelling through a separate dimension opened with chakra between the user and the tag. Eternano couldn't support the dimensional opening as well as natural energy did, which meant he could only safely transport one sentient being at any one time. Otherwise, someone might lose something in the process.

That said, he could use _Hiraishin_ for non-sentient objects with impunity, given they had no feelings or thoughts or parts they would feel bad about losing. Hence, using _Hiraishin_ to bring Trinity Raven out of a tower that was about to be obliterated was an endeavour that would require a bit of thought. Thankfully, though, Naruto had planned for such emergencies.

The thing about _Hiraishin_ was, it's not just that the user could move to his tags, bringing anything he was holding along with it. He could also teleport things from one tag to another, regardless of whether he was at the starting tag or the destination mark. It was how he summoned Kurama to his side each time; he simply inverted the way his chakra flowed, sucking Kurama through the tag that was on him, to the tags Naruto carried on his body. To send Kurama from his side to a specified tag elsewhere was even easier; it was just the regular use of _Hiraishin no Jutsu_. It was not the easiest thing to do, learning how to manipulate one's chakra in the complete opposite of how one learned the original technique, but Naruto had the ultimate training cheat code in _Kage Bunshin no Jutsu_.

Ikaruga was the only one with a permanent _Hiraishin_ marker on her though, which meant that Naruto would have to find all his underlings individually, tag them with _Hiraishin_ seals, and send them back to his apartment. Naruto didn't think Jellal would be sticking around the Council when he was done with the Tower of Heaven, which meant that there could be trouble brewing right in the Council headquarters. Naruto resolved to personally rescue Trinity Raven (because they were far more important to him than a bunch of old people), while he made a clone to keep a vigilant eye on Jellal in Era.

Ensuring that he had made the necessary preparations for all eventualities (including subordinates on the verge of death), Naruto cast his mind out, seeking the _Hiraishin_ tag that Ikaruga was told to carry on her at all times. Locating the tag, Naruto paused as he realised his oversight; the final R-System tower was not within the boundaries of Fiore. He had assumed that Erza found her way to Fairy Tail because the R-System tower she was enslaved at was within Fiore's borders, but judging by the relative distance between Ikaruga's tag and the rest of the _Hiraishin_ markers he had planted across Fiore, the Tower of Heaven was definitely not a part of the country.

Putting thoughts of how Erza managed to get to Fairy Tail, and why she didn't go to some other guild instead, Naruto moulded his chakra. Noiselessly, he vanished from his apartment, appearing inside a long hallway. He had no interest in the architecture, however, as he found his _kimono_-clad subordinate lying on the ground, blood pooling beneath her. A long cut from a sword ran along the front of her torso, from the edge of her right breast to her hip. Blood was bubbling from her wound, and more of the crimson liquid trickled from her lips. Despite the deep slash, her split _obi_ somehow managed to keep her _kimono_ intact.

Naruto kneeled beside the woman, ignoring at her surprised expression, as he pressed his palm on her stomach, away from her wound. Two clones popped into existence, disappearing off to track down Fukurō and Vidaldus, even as Naruto planted a temporary _Hiraishin_ tag on her, and whisked her back to his Era apartment via reverse _Hiraishin_. Standing in the large hallway, Naruto noticed the chunks of armour that were scattered about the impromptu battleground. Though, upon closer inspection of the place, with all the shrine-like gates and carpeted walkway (and the _sakura_ petals Ikaruga scattered about), it was probably less impromptu and more consciously selected by the swordswoman for the most romantic setting she could find.

As for the metal, Naruto could tell at least two different makes that were shattered by Ikaruga's lightning fast blows. The only person he could think of that would consider using more than one suit of armour in combat would be Erza. That meant that Fairy Tail members were still in the building, and given Jellal's former ties with Erza, she must be a part of his plans. He was fully prepared to go after Erza and handle Jellal, but something held him back. It could be the lives of Trinity Raven that were hanging in the balance, or that he was no longer a part of Fairy Tail.

_Erza needs to settle her score with Jellal on her own, or she will never find peace in her heart,_ Naruto mused, as his clones informed him telepathically that Fukurō and Vidaldus were retrieved, both unconscious but alive. He grabbed Ikaruga's weapon off the ground, sheathing the fine blade. _I ought to have faith in them, especially since they managed to take out Trinity Raven, no?_

With a final, silent wish of good luck to his former comrades, Naruto and his clones disappeared, leaving only a single _kunai_ behind.

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Naruto was extremely glad to have picked up some basic skills involving medical aid, as he deftly stitched up Ikaruga. The other two members of Trinity Raven were bruised and battered, but not exactly in any condition that would demand medical attention. Ikaruga, on the other hand, seemed to have suffered mild internal damage along with the nasty gash across her body. Naruto supposed Erza's magic infused blades must have been responsible for the extraneous damage the cut seemed to have inflicted.

The blond man hoped the woman wouldn't mind the scar that would surely form without magical healing. He couldn't possibly bring her to a doctor or a mage capable of healing magic, not when she was an infamous and wanted criminal. If she didn't establish such a huge reputation with her team, then there might be people who wouldn't recognize the beautiful woman. But she made sure people remembered her for her skills as much as her beauty, and there was no conceivable way for Naruto to get her to a doctor without an arrest waiting afterwards.

To Naruto's consternation, his _Sleep Magic_ wore off a bit too early, as Ikaruga's eyelids fluttered open while he was still bandaging her up. She moaned in pain, a husky voice more suited to the confines of the bedroom than the treatment table. Fixing her unfocused gaze on Naruto, she seemed to think he was an enemy in her groggy state. She fumbled around the bare table for her sword, a weapon Naruto had helpfully taken back. No sense leaving the priceless and powerful sword to be evaporated by _Etherion_. Her other hand came up to push against his chest weakly, trying to shove Naruto away from her.

"It's me, Naruto," the blond man murmured, as he easily brushed aside her offending hand and finishing wrapping the woman up. "You're safe now."

Her eyes unclouded as the last remnants of the _Sleep Magic_ wore off. She took a quick look at Naruto, who was peering into her eyes with unadulterated concern. Then, she stared down at her bandaged midsection, the wound burning fiercely. Suppressing her instinct to grab at the throbbing injury, she then noticed her state of undress. To reach for her wound, Naruto had no choice but to remove her _kimono_ down to the waist. The woman smirked as her uncovered breasts bounced enticingly with every harsh breath of air she sucked in.

"Naruto-sama, I never thought you were the type to take advantage of vulnerable women," she purred teasingly, her hand slithering onto Naruto's hand on the table. She pretended to wince in hurt as she reached for her wound with her left hand, her forearm 'conveniently' supporting and enhancing her voluptuous bust. "You could have just asked."

"Enough of that," Naruto mumbled irritably, ignoring her flirtatious advances. "I'm no doctor, so I don't even know whether my stitches will hold. I couldn't just take you to a doctor, so you'll have to make do with this. Do you have someone you can go to for medical needs?"

"There was never a real need for medical attention for us," Ikaruga replied more seriously, her tone somber. "We're a dark guild that specializes in assassinations. If we fail, it's death anyway. And Trinity Raven have been successful in every mission bar this one."

"So I guess you'll just have to live with the scar then," Naruto sighed, arms reaching around Ikaruga for the hem of her _kimono_ that was splayed out on the table. She accosted him by snagging his lips in a searing kiss, but he extricated himself before she could use her tongue, pulling her _kimono_ loosely over her shoulders to protect her modesty. "Please stop that. You're not doing any favours to your body."

"Mmm…but I'd like to do you a couple of favours with my body," Ikaruga smiled saucily, before Naruto's knuckles tapped her on her forehead gently. "Stop flirting. Shouldn't you have realised I'm not falling for your charms when I haven't responded to the hundreds of pictures you've sent over the years?"

"I have conjectured that either you are homosexual, which I highly doubt given your general response to physical intimacy from me, or you are already in a relationship," Ikaruga answered matter-of-factly. "If the latter is true, then I must confess that that only raises the sky high esteem I hold you by. I am a woman whom you can take as a mistress with little fear of discovery, given your proclivities for misdirection and anonymity. Yet you reject my advances so firmly, it begs the question of whom my competition may be, to snare a man of your ilk so thoroughly."

"I assure you, I am neither gay nor in a relationship. I burnt most of my bridges recently, so maybe if you remain charming enough, you might sway me to your side," the blond ninja said, his smile bitter. Ikaruga huffed irately as she slipped her arms through the sleeves of her _kimono_. "I will not be second best, Naruto-sama."

"And being a mistress isn't?" Naruto cocked an eyebrow.

Ikaruga smirked lusciously as she dragged a fingertip up Naruto's forearm sensuously. "Oh, being a mistress means you'd rather share a bed with me than your other partner. That means I'm a better lover."

"That made a disturbing amount of sense," Naruto commented wryly, before his eyes turned glassy. Concerned, Ikaruga was about to give Naruto a shake when he shuddered lightly. "Something happened at the Magic Council headquarters."

"Do you need to intervene?" Ikaruga queried.

"No, I'm too late. Ultear is in cahoots with Jellal, and she just took down the entire building with her magic. I think I heard Org say something about _Arc of Time_," Naruto shook his head slowly. "I guess it has something to do with manipulating the lifespan of objects, seeing as my clone basically dispelled from running out of chakra when it shouldn't have, not for a good week at least."

"Chakra?" the swordwoman murmured, perplexed.

"Nothing you need to know," Naruto replied primly. He scooped her up in his arms, drawing out a soft giggle and a playful nip to his earlobe. He deposited her on his bed, Vidaldus and Fukurō occupying two _futon_ in the cramped bedroom. He pressed his calloused palm to her forehead, forcing her head down to rest on the pillow. "Now, rest. Don't open the door for strangers."

"As you command, Naruto-sama," she whispered sleepily, Naruto's _Sleep Magic_ sending her drifting into a dreamless sleep.


	14. Chapter 13: On Fantasia

**Author's Notes:** Huzzah! Thanks for the lovely support! This chapter is going to seemed quite rushed, because it's a set up for both the Oración Seis arc and some drama for Naruto in chapter 14. They are more important in the grand scheme of things than Fighting Festival/Fantasia, which is really just Laxus throwing a tantrum, and introducing the Raijinshū. I'm using the Fantasia arc to lead into the drama, so don't expect Naruto to beat up Laxus or anything (that'll end the arc too quickly anyway).

As for Oración Seis, I refuse to believe that the legal guilds will suddenly decide to attack them based on what they deem as increased activity and somehow know their general plans (with no elaboration on how), and that Oración Seis knows to ambush the Light Team at Bob's mansion. They are a six-man guild; how the heck do they gain info like that? So I was going to expand on this, throwing in more Naruto action before the Light Team even begins their mission.

If you guys are wondering why I made Naruto a Wizard Saint, it's the set up for a concept arc post-Oración Seis, involving Tartaros, Trinity Raven and that innocuous medallion. If you can figure out the general flow of the arc, you should take over my story for me.

Just to whet your appetite: after that will be Edolas, where I plan to make Naruto fight the counterpart of a powerful mage (feel free to guess who). I'm not sure how I might do Tenrō Island, but a fight with Azuma and Rune Knights sounds about right. I can make him disappear for seven years, which is the easy way out. But if I don't, I'll have to wait for manga developments to see how it can progress. Raven Tail's legal status and Fiore royalty should all feature, and I would love to write about Meredy in Crime Sorcière. She's too _kawaii_!

Let's hope I can find that urge to write once more, and soon!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto or Fairy Tail.

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**Chapter 13: On Fantasia (X784)**

By now, Naruto was pretty sure Ikaruga was just pretending to be hurting. He didn't have the heart to chase her out of his abode, but it was getting pretty annoying having to deal with a lascivious, beautiful woman intent on getting into his pants every waking moment. Vidaldus and Fukurō, perhaps knowing of their leader's amorous desires, left for their guild once they've awoken. The blond man was thankful he had managed to keep his birthday hidden from the shameless pink-haired swordswoman; if she knew that he had just passed his birthday a few days ago, he would definitely have been struck by every seduction trick in the book. As in, literally, a book on seduction that Ikaruga was using for reference; Naruto had seen her unabashedly peruse the damn thing for ideas in front of him.

He had wanted to head off to the remnants of the Tower of Heaven for a few days now, to snoop around and see if he could dig out any information about Jellal and his plots. Ultear was still on the run, and Naruto wanted to nab her and grill her for information. A bit of secret research done at the ruined Magic Council library told him that the magic Org mentioned, _Arc of Time_, was a lost magic, like dragon slayer magic. For her to have learnt such a dangerous, powerful magic and be working for the enemy meant that she was a threat to be taken seriously. To think, the Council let in two dangerous elements into their midst without noticing until they unveiled their masterplan…

Naruto knew from his _Kage Bunshin_ surreptitiously observing the tower that Caelum's armed forces have been scouring the area for evidence. Personally, he felt that they were doing a horrible job of investigating the place, but given that the tower was attacked by the Magic Council without warning, issues about sovereignty engrossed Caelum far more than the R-System did. The destroyed tower was no longer a threat to humanity, so the investigations took a backseat to political squabbling. As a result, those sent to the tower were halfhearted soldiers who were more concerned about when they could next enjoy a hearty meal and drink at a tavern.

Hence, Naruto was forced to wait the few days before he could begin his explorations of the destroyed tower. Ikaruga, hearing his plans, offered to join him, but Naruto felt it prudent that she returned to her guild to take charge. Fukurō and Vidaldus, while powerful mages, weren't exactly the best administrators. The swordswoman was disappointed that Naruto was effectively chasing her away (which he totally was), but acquiesced with his suggestion, leaving with a promise to follow up on her attempts to draw Naruto into a life of debauchery with her. He was sure she would deliver on her promise eventually, one way or another.

Naruto tucked his Wizard Saint medallion into his shirt as he prepared to leave for the Tower of Heaven. Unsurprisingly, the now defunct Magic Council had not contacted him about anything through the communication function of the medallion. He hoped he would never get called up to join the Council in any capacity, if the organization were to be reformed. He had experienced the freedoms of being a mage in Fiore; he would probably hang himself before he sat at that table and engaged in the petty political games the Council liked to play.

A quick formation and dispelling of a _Kage Bunshin_ sent a message along to his observation doppelganger at the tower, asking if the coast was clear. Another mental message came through moments later, informing Naruto that the tower had been devoid of people since the last update fourteen hours ago.

Mentally searching for the _Hiraishin_ tag of Ikaruga's he conveniently left at the tower, he then proceeded to warp to the ruins of the tower. It was a scene of devastation, with all the telltale signs that it was Fairy Tail's handiwork. After all, who else could ensure property destruction at such a high level? A smile of nostalgia was quickly banished from under his mask as he surveyed the area carefully. The Caelum soldiers weren't too careful when sifting through the rubble, but Naruto reckoned it wouldn't have affected his own investigations. Jellal, if he ever had any documentation of his work, would have hidden it far more securely. The collapse of the tower and subsequent inspection of the place by unmotivated soldiers wouldn't have led to the destruction or discovery of such information.

_Kage Bunshin_ were formed in the dozens, and the clones fanned out to find clues. Naruto instead looked around the ground, searching for his _Hiraishin kunai_. In the immediate aftermath of the tower's annihilation, Naruto had sent a clone to retrieve and hide the _kunai_ where investigators would not find it. It wouldn't have been awfully suspicious had his throwing knife been found; after all, all manners of weapons could have been used by combatants and the knife was likely another. But Naruto wanted to be safer than sorry, in case people had actually found the _Hiraishin kunai_ and linked it to him somehow.

Finding the dented weapon, Naruto tucked it away into his weapons pouch, thus eliminating the piece of evidence that indicated his presence. The minor task complete, Naruto joined his clones in exploring the remnants of the tower. However, instead of manually combing the area like his clones, Naruto opted for a different approach. Sitting down on a flat piece of rubble, Naruto shut his eyes and concentrated. Entering _Sennin Mōdo_ was easier as he got used to the sensation, but for him to use the sensory abilities of the mode to its full potential, razor sharp focus during meditation always helped.

Being in _Sennin Mōdo_ meant that he could sense natural energy wafting off objects, but in this case, it was Eternano. If there were any secrets to be found in these ruins, Naruto was certain that there would be a magical residue emanating from them. Casting his senses out, he frowned as nothing came to light. The lacrima that held all of _Etherion_'s energy was destroyed, but the Eternano released in the wake of the powerful spell took far longer to dissipate. A thin cloud of Eternano hung pervasively in the air, a stark reminder of the terrible power unleashed on the tower.

Naruto sighed as the Eternano continued to play havoc with his _Sennin Mōdo_, preventing him from noticing any anomalies. Giving up on that particular endeavour, Naruto was about to rise to join his clones in a manual search when the memories of a dispelled dppelganger hit him. Naruto groaned in misery as his mind filtered through the memories, opting to cancel all of his clones in order to meet this new threat.

_Why, oh why, did I have to meet Oración Seis here?_

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Racer hated working with Midnight. The 'son' of their leader was a powerful mage, in fact, the most powerful in their small guild. Racer was glad to have such backup for even a relatively simple mission. But that didn't mean he wasn't creepy as hell, sleeping on his floating magic carpet as the thing followed him around. Racer wasn't exactly sure why Brain would want Midnight to come along for the ride, given that it was a basic search and retrieval that didn't even involve enemies. But he wasn't the mastermind, so he just let the big man work his plans.

He knew he had definitely jinxed himself with those thoughts when they encountered a strange man on the shores of the island they were seeking. He didn't fit the description of Jellal Fernandes, so Racer felt that it would be best if the man died quickly. No sense in dragging out a fight with an unknown when there were bigger things ahead. So, with all the stealth he had taught himself and a touch of _Slowing Magic_, he managed to sneak up behind the stranger, prepared to slit his throat.

If not for his _Slowing Magic_, he wouldn't have been able to hit the guy. The man's reflexes and senses were off the charts; Racer had never seen anyone able to respond to one of his sneak attacks before. Sure, he could only swivel around in surprise, but that was impressive enough. So Racer stabbed the man in the chest instead; expecting, almost anticipating the sight of life draining out of the blond man's azure eyes. Instead, he disappeared in a puff of smoke that irritated Racer's eyes and nose, causing him to cough. Fanning his hand in the air to wave the dissipating smoke away, he wondered if there was going to be a fight over Jellal's body. After all, why else would anyone wish to come to the remnants of the Tower of Heaven?

He wasn't disappointed when the man reappeared almost immediately, standing in an imposing posture just outside the range of his _Slowing Magic_. His eyes were different, however; there was now what seemed to be red eyeliner around the yellow eyes. "Racer and Midnight of Oración Seis. Of all the people I have to meet here, it had to be you two."

"Who are you? I've never seen you before, but it seems you know us quite well," Racer asked, even as he prepared to do battle. The blond man scoffed, folding his arms imperiously. "None of your concern, Racer. What is Oración Seis's purpose here? Are you after Jellal's work?"

"Nothing so mundane. We're after his body for his knowledge, so we can achieve enlightenment," Racer smirked mischievously. "You aren't so different from us, no? Sneaking around the area to find out about Jellal. If you're planning for world domination, I suggest you join one of us. It's easier to control the world with a team of powerful mages than by your lonesome."

"No thanks, I have no plans to conquer the world. That would be quite hypocritical of me," the mage replied tersely. "You know, I'm supposed to be a good guy, so that means I'm going to have to stop you from taking Jellal's body. You know that, right?"

"Well, then I guess we have no choice but to fight," Racer flipped his knife out, twirling the small weapon in his hands expertly.

Most adversaries would laugh at his choice of equipment, as it was quite the underwhelming weapon. But his opponent seemed to know better, as he immediately slid into a defensive stance. Racer briefly wondered if the man knew of his magic, and the range it operated at. He dismissed those silly notions instantly; no one had figured out his magic before he could kill them, and it was probably just a coincidence that his fellow blond was standing right beyond the edge of his magic's range. He hollered a war cry as he charged, but to his frustration, the man dodged backwards, still out of the reach of his _Slowing Magic_. The man, cool as a cucumber, reached his hands out in midair.

In his left hand, a weird throwing knife appeared, while a gigantic cleaver materialized in the other. The blond mage was obviously a _Requip_ user, as he hurled the knife at Racer. The Oración Seis member almost felt insulted as the throwing weapon flew past his head without him even needing to avoid the projectile; it was a decent throw, but nothing that could possibly trouble him. He came to regret his musings not a moment later, as the man warped from his location to right where the knife was, his massive _zanbatō_ already in mid swing. Racer's only mode of escape was to unleash his _Slowing Magic_ to the fullest, and ducking out of the way of the decapitating strike.

The man furrowed his brows, obviously unnerved by his sudden decrease in speed. Racer accepted his generous opening gleefully, launching into numerous slices and slashes across the man's body. Racer's joy was cut when he noticed that despite cutting his clothes to ribbons, the man seemed completely unfazed by the attacks. The lack of blood dripping from his knife clued the Oración Seis member in; his adversary had steel-like skin that his knife couldn't penetrate. Sliding away from his opponent, Racer found himself the one who was more flummoxed by his enemy.

"How are you unaffected? My momentum should have been more than enough to pierce your skin!" Racer growled. The man shrugged nonchalantly. "You'll just have to aim for soft spots. My eyeballs or the inside of my mouth are the best targets, really. I've never tried taking a hit to my neck, but with your knife, I don't think it's going to do much."

"Are you mocking me now? With this little knife and just speed, I've ended plenty of lives, and yours won't be the last of those!" Racer shouted indignantly, as he raised his free hand to the air. "Witness my glorious motor show from hell! _Dead Grand Prix_!"

The sound of a dozen roaring engines filled the air, as a horde of motorcycles appeared out of nowhere, all powering towards his enemy from behind. Racer laughed maniacally as his babies surrounded the man in a blurry circle of metal and magic. Racer wasted no time mounting one of his rides, and began barraging his opponent with his vehicles darting in and out of the circle. The blond mage endured several painful hits soundlessly, slowly adjusting to the timing of his bikes as the big sword came closer and closer to scratching his motorcycles with every hit they made.

Then, the man dropped his weapon, and moved his hands in several weird motions. To Racer, those fingers were twisting through the convoluted patterns quite quickly, which meant that the man must be blindingly fast if he weren't under the throes of his _Slowing Magic_. The blond man's hair grew uncontrollably into a spiky cocoon that wrapped around him, shielding him fully from the outside world. Undeterred by the defensive technique, Racer ordered his motorcycles to fire upon the man with all their magical guns. The hail of magic bullets converged on his enemy, peppering him and churning up a cloud of dirt and dust. Racer grinned, relaxed after his victory. There was no way someone could survive a volley of magic bullets from all sides.

As the dust cleared, Racer's smile dropped, a slack-jaw expression taking over his features. The shield of _hair_ of all things remained pristine, undamaged by his attack. Racer ground his teeth in exasperation, but didn't have any more time to think of another attack as the hair sprayed needles in all directions, a retaliation that seemed to mock his use of bike-mounted guns and bullets. Racer hopped off his bike, ducking behind the vehicle for protection as the hair needles punctured everything in their way, sinking an inch deep into the steel of his motorcycles. Racer paled at the sight of all his bikes falling to the ground, thick coats of needles covering their sides like a hedgehog's back. He continued to hide behind the bike he was riding; it was the only cover he had while he tried to think of a strategy to beat the guy.

Deciding that survival was more important than his pride or his fear of Midnight, he ran as fast as he could towards his sleeping comrade. His adversary was already emerging from his cocoon, but Racer was faster, giving the black-haired mage a furious shake of the shoulders and a quick shout to the ear. He only succeeded in touching Midnight because there was no intent to harm behind his motions; if he had deigned to attack the raven-haired mage in his sleep, his attack would have been diverted for sure.

Midnight snarled as he burst into wakefulness, smashing a fist into Racer's jaw. The blond speedster tasted the metallic tint of blood as he bit the inside of his cheek, his metal chin guard cracking from the devastating impact. Racer spat out a globule of blood, wiping his chin as he remained where he fell, sitting on his bum. Midnight clambered off his carpet, his eyes glaring holes into his comrade sprawled out on the ground.

"What the hell did you wake me for? I don't even know why father asked me to come along for such an easy mission. What, you can't handle finding a corpse?" Midnight scorned irritably, before noticing the blood flowing from Racer's lips. "What the hell happened to you?"

"You hit me," Racer grumbled under his breath, but quickly prioritized briefing Midnight about his enemy over quarreling about friendly fire. "There's a guy interfering with our mission. He's countering everything I have without a sweat! I can't beat him like this. I need your help."

"I didn't think Oración Seis members could discard their pride to ask for assistance," his blond enemy approached slowly, horse-cleaving sword in hand. "Good to see some people don't overestimate themselves around here, Racer."

"You're just lucky you have the exact abilities that can counter my speed," Racer retorted resentfully. "I may not be able to beat you, but I still hold the title of the fastest man alive!"

"Sure you do. You're just a fraud. You don't have speed, you just slow down my perception of time," the golden-eyed man shot back, to Racer's alarm. "How did you know?!"

"Everything you did was lightning fast, and everything I did seemed unable to counter that speed," the mage admitted, before tapping the corner of his weird amphibian eyes. "But these eyes can do more than just see. They can sense magic. I noticed a field of magic that you have spread around you, but I didn't know what it was for at first. Then, as we fought, I realised that there was a huge discrepancy between how fast you moved before and after I entered that field of yours. If you have a field that speeds up your own movements, shouldn't you be fast all the time? Also, you panicked when I attacked you with _Kubikiribōchō_, yet was able to avoid me with abrupt speed. It clearly wasn't a reflexive dodge."

"You seem like a smart guy, so you ought to know that Midnight is far stronger than me," Racer boasted. "You'll be crushed if you face the both of us!"

"You go ahead and complete the mission, Racer," Midnight yawned, before flashing a vicious grin at the blond man. "I thank you for waking me up to face this guy. I love crushing strong mages under my feet."

Racer wasn't stupid enough to protest against Midnight when the man wanted to have some fun. He had seen the brutality of Midnight, and he was not going to let himself be the target of the dark-haired mage's ire by objecting to his orders. Nodding once, Racer dashed off, summoning another motorcycle underneath him to speed up his search. Midnight groaned as he cricked his back, before standing in a loose stance. "Well, come on then. Show me the power that you beat Racer with!"

The blond did so gladly, bursting forwards faster than anyone Midnight had ever seen move. But his defence was impregnable as his opponent found out, his heavy _zanbatō_ changing directions abruptly. If his amphibian-eyed enemy were any less strong, the sudden change in motion for such a huge blade would have twisted and torn a few tendons in his arm. Instead, all that showed was a slight crinkling at the edge of the man's eyes as he jumped back, silently assessing the situation. Midnight smiled sardonically as he brushed some of his unruly hair from his forehead.

"You cannot penetrate my defences with that sort of offence, stranger," Midnight explained his powers. "My magic ability _Reflector_ has the power to control and distort everything."

A wave of Midnight's hand had the cuirass around his opponent's body squeeze down with crushing force. The man winced as he fell to a knee, fingers desperately trying to hook under his armor to rip it off. Midnight laughed malevolently as he imploded the body armour, eliciting a choked scream and a baleful glare from the blond mage. The man snarled, _Requip_-ing half a dozen throwing knives to his hand, throwing them with deadly accuracy. Midnight sneered at the weak attack, not even bothering to deflect the puny weapons back at the owner. He allowed the weapons to fall to the ground at his feet in a clatter.

"Is that all you can-"

Before he could deliver his taunt, he was suddenly forced to deflect his opponent's _zanbatō_ falling from the sky like a guillotine. The massive weapon slid aside to stab into the ground, he wasn't prepared for the blond man to let go of his sword and unleash a double-fisted hammer blow to his skull. His brain rattled inside his cranium, the concussive strike leaving him woozy and unable to defend against a succession of heavy punches, elbows and knees to his body. Midnight growled under the barrage, utilizing his magic to grab a hold of the man with his coat, and hurl him away like a ragdoll. The raven-haired Oración Seis member gulped in deep breaths of air as he tried to get rid of the dizziness. The aching from those body blows weren't helping him recover his composure either.

His opponent looked thoughtful as he stood across a panting Midnight. His monstrous weapon disappeared from view, vanishing into an alternate dimension and away from Midnight's control. "You say you can control and distort everything. Clearly you can't do it against my flesh, since I managed to hit you with my fists. So you can only manipulate non-sentient matter, or you could have blown me aside instead of using my coat to grab me and tug me away. You can also deflect reflexively; otherwise _Kubikiribōchō_ would have split you in half before you even had time to blink. That's awfully useful, but I'm afraid I have a trump card that you can't beat."

Midnight watched in trepidation as his opponent crouched, slamming his palm to the ground. A small, crimson fox materialized out of thin air, looking awfully annoyed at being summoned to the battle. "You! You bloody idiot! I thought I said we aren't partners anymore!"

"I need your help against a member of Oración Seis," his adversary shrugged helplessly, to the fox's indignation. "You need my help, oh mighty one? Aren't you the omniscient and omnipotent Maelstrom? Why would you need this lowly fox's help? You went and made everyone sad and angry, you dickwad! You can handle this fight on your own!"

"You just want to snuggle in Mira's boobs. No one said you had to follow me in leaving the guild," the blond man named Maelstrom retorted mildly. Maelstrom was a title that meant nothing to Midnight, though it rang a bell. Dismissing the thought, the raven-haired _Reflector_ mage continued listening in to the heated, albeit curious argument. He had never seen a talking animal before, and it intrigued him. The fox was momentarily flummoxed by his supposed partner's suggestion, adopting a thinking pose as it tiled its head to the side. "You are right. Why didn't I think of that? I can be Mira-chan's pet fox instead of yours!"

"Great thinking," the man rolled his eyes. "Now can we fight? This guy is all yours."

Midnight had to laugh at the notion of the miniscule fox beating him. "So what if you figured out my powers? So what if I can't control the fox just because it's sentient and doesn't have any clothing for me to manipulate? Do you think I'm restricted to just that?! My _Reflector_ is far more powerful than what your tiny brains can comprehend!"

"Tiny?" the talking canine growled, hackles rising. "I'll show you tiny!"

Midnight gaped as the fox exploded in size, towering above everything. Monstrous teeth half his body size were bared as drool dripped from the edges of the mansion-sized fox's dark lips. The raven-haired man snarled in response as he pointed at the canine, initiating _Spiral Pain_. Wind swirled around the humongous animal and its companion, but before Midnight could batter and crush them with a vortex of distorted air, he lost control over his spell. His _Spiral Pain_ died out with a whimper, disturbing only a minute circumference of dust on the ground around the two. The man chuckled indulgently at Midnight's gobsmacked look, clearly no longer seeing Midnight as a threat.

"You can use the air around you to attack, which is something I didn't figure you had the creativity for," the blond man complimented, before wagging his finger tauntingly. "But unfortunately for you, I'm a _Wind Magic_ user, so all your attacks are useless! How about another go, eh? Maybe use the earth around us? Or call Racer back and tag-team me? I think that'll be a better option, no?"

Before Midnight could throw back a response, the man frowned deeply, his brow furrowed in concentration. "What the fuck is happening back in town?"

Shaking his head, the man stared at Midnight with a superior look even as he turned his back on the dark mage. "Sorry, but something just cropped up back home. It might be important to stop Oración Seis, but I didn't think to track Racer, so he might have completed your mission already. I know we'll meet again, and when we do, I'll make sure we finish our fight, and foil whatever world domination plot your master has."

The fox unleashed a brilliant white flame from its mouth, the ball of fire looming over Midnight. By the time he squashed the flames with his _Reflector_, the blond man and his companion were nowhere to be found.

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Mirajane shut her eyes as she fell from the sky, exhausted from the use of her _Satan Soul_. The demonic wings and tail vanished as the last dregs of her power left her body, unaccustomed to the use of magic after two years of inactivity. As the wind rustled her dress and caused her hair to flutter madly, Mirajane wondered if Freed would feel anything, even sympathy, at her death. Her downward momentum was gently halted, however, as she found two strong arms supporting her weight underneath her, making sure to prevent her from jerking to a sudden stop. A warm, firm torso was pressed against her side, sending waves of relief and comfort flooding through her veins.

Her big blue orbs snapped open, her lips parting in a soft gasp as she recognized the man holding on to her. He gingerly descended down to the ground, beside Elfman, Juvia and Cana, who were being guarded by a huge fox that stood menacingly over their unconscious forms. It was not facing them however; the canine's head was tilted skywards, eyes trained on Freed floating in the air. She was softly lowered to the floor, but before the blond man could move away, she grabbed his arm in a vice grip. "Ráfaga…Naruto. What are you doing back here?"

"Saving you," the blond man replied succinctly. His cuirass was curiously missing, and he looked awfully scuffed up. Before Mirajane could continue her line of questioning, his arm slithered out of her hold, allowing him to stretch to his full height. "Kurama. You wanted to leave my side for Mirajane's right? Then you best damn well keep her safe until I'm done with that punk in the sky."

"**Give him hell,**" the fox identified as Kurama growled deeply. Mirajane squeaked in astonishment. "When did you learn how to speak?! Or use _Titan Magic_?!"

"**Since I joined the guild,**" Kurama answered flippantly, his eyes never leaving the tiny figure floating in the air. "**I figured I would appear cuter if you couldn't hear my deep, rumbling and manly voice, or knew I could transform into a big-ass fox.**"

Mirajane's eyes were forced to look away from the massive crimson animal as a torrent of wind erupted from the man standing beside her, the gale flapping her dress and blowing her hair back. Naruto blasted off the ground, the jet of air from his feet propelling him sky high. Moderating the speed of his ascent, the blond man slowed down as he reached the height that Freed was loitering at. He glared murderously at the bemused Freed, who was obviously unaware of the recent events that Fairy Tail was swept up in. Freed noted the weird eyes Naruto seemed to possess instead of his usual deep cerulean orbs, but dismissed it as nothing more than some cosmetic modifications.

"Ráfaga. I didn't know you knew any teleportation spells. Or _Wind Magic_, seeing as you're flying right now. It seems you get to play hero for Mirajane. Isn't that wonderful, seeing an old man trying to win the heart of a young maiden? Or should I call her a failure of a demon?" Freed goaded.

"Shut up, Freed. Today is the day of the Fantasia Parade. What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Naruto questioned, his tone conveying nothing of the cheer Freed was used to hearing. Freed scoffed at the man's lack of knowledge. "Have you been dreaming all this while, old man? Did you not notice the _Jutsu Shiki_ I planted all over town? Did you not hear Laxus's challenge to everyone? Do you not see the _Thunder Palace_ that Laxus has activated to test this weak guild's mettle?"

"So this is all some sort of petty game? To eliminate the weak? To foster the strong?" Naruto asked darkly, a slow, spiraling breeze coming to life around the blond mage. "And you decided that because the only dick you want to suck is Laxus's, you must follow his orders to the bitter end, and do this to your fellow guild members?"

"Don't you dare insult Laxus! He became an S-class mage before you could even dream of reaching such dizzying heights!" Freed roared furiously, soaring towards Naruto. "I'll crush you!"

Freed threw a punch at lightning speed, confident it would blow Naruto out of the sky. There was no way a pathetic B-class mage could handle his power, when even the infamous Demon Mirajane could only match him blow for blow. The triumphant laugh died prematurely on his lips as Naruto's hand caught Freed's right fist without effort, before powerful fingers clamped down securely on the fist. Freed's dark eyes widened as he tried to pull away, but the vice grip on his hand was absolute. Naruto chuckled darkly as the winds around him grew stronger, ruffling both his and Freed's hair madly.

"You…you hurt Cana and Mira. I wanted to intervene so bad when they were beaten up by Phantom, but I held back for the sake of my deceit," Naruto murmured, just loud enough to befuddle the increasingly panicky Freed. "But now, you attacked me first…you and your little gang leader declared war on your own guild…and that gives me a licence to hurt you like you hurt them…and return the pain _a hundredfold_."

Even as the green-haired member of the Thunder God Tribe tried to draw his rapier with his non-dominant left hand, he was forced to endure a series of rapid, jarring blows to his head. Naruto yelled incoherently as he took the two of them down from the skies, his free hand continuously landing blows on Freed's increasingly bruised face. A broken nose spurted blood furiously, as did his torn lips. His head was rattling with the earth-shattering strikes, tasting blood in his mouth as a few teeth loosened and cut his gums open. Then, Naruto grabbed his other arm, reeling him in and planted both knees into his chest, driving the remaining breath out of the half-conscious man. Naruto roared as they hit the ground like a crashing meteor, collapsing the entire bridge they landed upon.

Freed's head lolled limply as his body was seemingly transformed into one giant bruise. If not for his _Dark Écriture: Darkness_, he was sure the superhuman blows would have caved his face in. Even with his demonic body, he was still bloodied to an unrecognizable state. His chest was on fire, his organs seemed to have turned to liquid, and his brain was mush, unable to register anything but pain and nausea. His _Darkness_ form dissipated as his injured body couldn't handle the strain anymore, leaving him even more vulnerable. He was just conscious enough to feel the large hand grabbing his neck, raising his body off the rubble that once constituted a bridge. His boneless body was dragged closer to the other mage, and his face was brought inches before Naruto's murderous eyes that judged him and deemed him unworthy of his life.

"Punk. You're just a sorry little punk who got yourself into the deepest shit you can find," Naruto sneered viciously, his frog-like eyes burning with unbridled wrath. "You picked on the wrong girls, the two girls you absolutely could not afford to harm even a single hair of. I had to abandon a fight against Oración Seis, just so I could come back and save their ass from you little piece of shit. I'm pissed that they probably got what they wanted, and that they are now one step closer to whatever the fuck their leader wants to do. I'm all out of fucking mercy right now, and unfortunately, you're the only shitstain here for me to vent my frustrations out on."

With those words, Freed found himself smashed back into the ruins of the bridge, his neck nearly broken from the whiplash. He gurgled noisily as the powerful grip never relented, exerting crushing pressure on his neck. His eyes bulged as a powerful fist smashed against his sternum, cracking the bone and driving the oxygen out of his body. The hand on his neck ensured no air could reenter his lungs, as blow after blow rained down on his broken body. His face turned progressively purple as he was deprived of oxygen. Darkness creeped in from the edges of his blurry eyesight as his opponent broke his body with the savagery of a beast.

Naruto raised his hand up high up into the air for one last time, prepared to crash it against Freed's broken ribs and drive the bones into his organs. Before he could bring down his hand, pair of far softer and smaller ones grabbed it. His entire arm was then smothered in a gentle hug, a hug he knew only one conscious person in the vicinity was brave enough to try. "Stupid fox. I thought I told him to keep you safe."

"He's now my fox, so he listens to me, not you," Mirajane whispered, tightening her embrace. "Stop this, Rá- Naruto. This isn't you. Freed's defeated already."

"You don't know me, Mirajane," Naruto replied softly as he stood up, letting go of the green-haired mage. Freed gasped for air gratefully, but was unable to do any more than just breathe. "The Ráfaga you knew was an act. He never existed. I created him to fit in at Fairy Tail. This, what you see here…this is the real me. Violent. Cruel. Vindictive. Unscrupulous."

"But you came and saved me," Mirajane argued, as she released his arm to hold him by the waist, pressing her head to his broad back. "You left the guild, but you came back in my time of need and you saved my life. You still care for me, for us. Don't deny that."

"I told you, I never had feelings for you. All of you, from Makarov to Gildarts to Cana to you, all of you…you've been hoodwinked by me," Naruto murmured, gazing into the sky. "I never cared for any of you. Ráfaga did, but he's a guise, an alter ego, a _fake_. I'm here not because I have lingering feelings for anyone, but because I gave my word to Makarov to protect all of you. I honour my words, nothing more."

"So that's it then? You are just going to waltz out of my life again, pretending you don't care?" the ivory-haired girl huffed, her once infamous temper resurfacing. "Why? Why do you have to go? Is it because you're afraid that I'll be targeted? Are we not strong enough to overcome the challenges you face, together? I can re-access my _Satan Soul_ now! I can fight! I just need to train! So why? Why do you keep running away?"

"Like I told Makarov, I never belonged. This isn't my world. This isn't my way of life. Your sentimentality would have gotten you killed in an instant back in my lands," Naruto answered harshly, pulling Mirajane's arms away from his body as he walked away. "My departure from the guild was an eventuality, not a possibility. I only needed for my work for Fairy Tail to be done. Or have you forgotten about how I lied to everyone about Lisanna's fate? About my identity? About Aria?"

"If this is who you claim you are, then why did you create Ráfaga? Why take Cana in as your sister? Why befriend Macao and Wakaba? Why take Mystogan as an apprentice?" Mirajane cried out, reaching out to grab his swinging hand. "Why did you care for me at all?"

The blond man paused briefly, and for a moment, Mirajane thought she had finally reached him with her heartfelt words. Instead, he pulled his hand out of hers, and continued walking away. "To satisfy Makarov, so he'll get off my back about fitting in and adopting Fairy Tail as my new home. That's all."

As the man vanished into thin air, Mirajane found herself collapsing to her knees, unbidden tears flowing from her aquamarine orbs.

She never saw the wetness in his eyes.

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"Are you sure he's called Maelstrom?" Brain addressed his son.

Midnight nodded, cringing as he aggravated his wounds. While the internal damage wasn't too injurious, he would be aching and bruised for a good while yet. "That's what the fox called him. I didn't know the name, but I thought it was somewhat familiar, father."

"Indeed, it is. He's the mage that's been taking down dark guilds for the past decade. He secluded himself after a while, and dropped off the radar as a result, but it seems he's back," Brain mused aloud. "It's safe to assume that he knows what our ultimate aim is, even though he's unsure of our means. We'll have to hurry with our preparations, as well as prepare a counterattack if the legal mages come after us."

"I'm sorry, father! I should have taken his head for you! I promise, I won't make the mistake of letting him go again!" Midnight exclaimed desperately, his eyes watering as he imagined his surrogate father abandoning him for the disappointing outcome of his fight with Maelstrom. His father stroked his hair gently, comforting the distraught man. "Don't worry, you're still important to me. Next time, cut him down with extreme prejudice. And then I'll forgive you."

"Yes, father!" Midnight beamed gratefully, glad that he still had a chance to redeem himself.

_Next time, I won't fail!_


	15. Chapter 14: Heart to Heart

**Author's Notes: **I was expecting some unhappiness regarding the insanely quick jump from fighting Oración Seis to fighting Freed, but looks like I was worried over nothing. For those disappointed by my lack of Naruto/Mirajane love, here it is. Now you guys will probably rant at how sudden the jump into the relationship is...

This is THE most awkward chapter I've written, even worse than chapter 7. It reveals everything about the Naruto that I've been trying to write, and I hope it's consistent with what you guys have been seeing thus far. I used Makarov as the device to unveil Naruto, and I hope he fits. He's the only character I can think of that can pull this off properly, given his wisdom and proximity to Naruto as Ráfaga and as himself.

Oh, and I forgot to warn you guys about the swearing in the previous chapter. It's a bit too late now, but the story was rated M from the beginning to anticipate this, so I hope no one was too shocked/upset by the cursing. I thought it was appropriate for Naruto's mindset at that moment.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto or Fairy Tail.

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**Chapter 14: Heart to Heart (X784)**

Mirajane was glad everything had settled down. After the battle, Kurama and her brought the defeated members of Fairy Tail back to the guild headquarters for treatment. Elfman, Cana and herself were positively healthy compared to Freed. Porlyusica had healed them all up, and declared Freed to require bedrest for at least a month, maybe more. The damage Naruto wrought upon him was horrifying; he had his entire chest nearly caved in. His entire ribcage was practically shattered, and his organs all suffered from the blunt trauma inflicted. Internal bleeding was a given, with how Naruto manhandled the green-haired mage. Mirajane was relieved she managed to stop Naruto in time, before he ended up killing Freed.

Somehow, she didn't think he would regret that decision. He had broken ties with Fairy Tail, and his actions no longer reflected on the guild. Yet, it made her heart swell to know that he had returned to save her and fought Freed for them. But his cruel words after that hurt her immensely. She had tried so hard to forgive him for lying to everyone about Lisanna, and overcame that hurdle when she finally calmed down enough to see things from his point of view. Logically speaking, he was right on every account. She didn't have the information he possessed, but based on what he revealed, it would turn disastrous even if they succeeded in rescuing Lisanna. He even mentioned war, something no one in Fiore had any experience with. Did one person's safety justify the deaths of thousands? The answer to that was a firm no.

There was no guarantee Lisanna was still alive, either. It was a sobering thought after the initial dash of hope, but Mirajane kept the tiny flame alive in her heart. During this period of introspection, she realised what Naruto had been doing during that moment when he was fighting Jose. With everyone running on adrenaline, stressed and upset, he deliberately made himself out to be a villain. After he saved her from death, she was sure that he had really just been taking advantage of the situation to make a clean break from Fairy Tail. He must've felt guilty about masquerading as Aria and letting things devolve to the state they were in, and saw the chance to embellish the extent of his deception to the point where even she was turned away.

That was why she was currently seated in the medical room of the guild, beside Makarov's bed. On the opposite side of the room was Freed, bedridden and bandaged even more than Gajeel and Natsu. The two obstinate dragon slayers had refused to stay in bed, and were wandering about outside with the rest of the guild. The balding guild master was awake, and smiled cheerfully at Mirajane's presence.

"Mira-chan, how are you?" Makarov greeted jovially.

"I'm fine, Master. Just a few scratches," she returned the smile, gesturing at her own patched up state. "I just…I just need some advice."

"Don't be shy to ask, Mira-chan. This old man may be feeble in body, but his mind is still strong," Makarov tapped his temple, a mock serious look on his face. Mirajane clapped her hand to her mouth, suppressing a giggle. Composing herself, her smile dimmed a little as she tried to put her thoughts into words. "Master…Rá-Naruto came back today. He appeared out of nowhere, and saved me from falling to my death when I was fighting Freed. He…he roughed up Freed quite badly until I stopped him."

"I suppose you talked to him then?" Makarov guessed.

Mirajane nodded. "He said some hurtful things that I think he didn't really mean. He said that he didn't care for any of us, that he returned only to honour an agreement he made with you, Master, about protecting the guild. He told me that Ráfaga never existed, that he was a lie. But I think he's lying about the lie to keep us at arm's length. What is your opinion on this, Master?"

"He's not wrong, not in his own mind anyway," Makarov answered unsurely. "I believe he always intended Ráfaga to be a separate part of him, compartmentalised in his head so that when he leaves us, he won't feel regret. There's probably paranoia too. He's afraid of people knowing his real name, his real abilities and whatnot. His mindset simply refuses to allow others to see his real self. But even with all his skill, no one can just block out the emotions experienced and leave his real personality untainted. He does care for us, in a weird, twisted manner. Pay no heed to his words. He's obviously aiming to put distance between all of us and him."

"Then, about Lisanna…what did he really feel when he made the decision to hide the truth?" Mirajane asked softly.

"I think he was torn. He values his loved ones, and definitely considered Fairy Tail as his family in a way. But he tries to fashion himself as a man who could make the logical, difficult choices no one else could, so he kept his promise to himself by hiding the truth," Makarov inferred. "He was prepared…no, even welcoming the day when he could let the truth out, and be castigated for his choices. That's the kind of man he's turned into, behind his veneer of good cheer as Ráfaga. Someone who longs for punishment to atone for the transgressions he feels he'd commited when he left his world behind."

"That's…that's impossible. No one could possibly be so…" Mirajane murmured, horrified.

"So broken up? Even just from the snippets that he let leak to me, I can tell he's had a tragic life, enduring enough tribulations to last a hundred lifetimes. He's a complex man, Mira-chan. I can't claim to understand or empathise with him, but I have been making conjectures and drawing my own conclusions now that I don't have to worry about my grown-up children anymore," Makarov stared unblinkingly at the ceiling. "He's a deeply troubled person, haunted by his past. It's something I noticed, but failed to address early on. Now, I'm afraid I'm no longer able to do anything about his state of mind. But you can, Mira-chan."

Mirajane pursed her lips as she stared into her lap. "Can I really? So do you…do you think he meant it when he said there was nothing between him and I? Was I never able to reach his heart at all?"

"No, you definitely got to him. Your close proximity to him after Lisanna's disappearance had its effect. Everyone could tell the two of you were growing closer as he helped with your healing," Makarov said soothingly, his hand reaching out from underneath his blanket to pat Mirajane's clenched fists comfortingly. "He's afraid of love."

"How can anyone be fearful of love?" Mirajane whispered. "Did…did he lose people he loved? He…he told me something like that, but after all these secrets tumbled out, I don't know if they were just words to encourage me to move on, or the truth."

"According to him, he lost _all_ of them, one way or another. Did he tell you that?" Makarov replied, receiving a confirmation nod from Mirajane. "Then I guess it's most likely true. But that's not why he's afraid. He's not scared of the pain that comes with losing someone he cares for. He's frightened of experiencing happiness, because he thinks he doesn't deserve a shot at love."

"W-What?" the ivory-haired girl exclaimed, startled.

"That's what I think, anyway. Guilt is the primary emotion he operates on, and on a subconscious level at that. He isn't even conscious of it," Makarov chuckled sadly. "But it's there, festering over the years to form something cancerous. It's been eating away at him, but he never confided in anyone about it. Maybe he didn't want to burden others. Or perhaps he was just too paranoid to trust anyone. But in order for him to let go and move on, he needs to forgive himself. And I think someone needs to be there to help him through the process."

"You are suggesting that I approach him about this? He'll just push me away again," Mirajane said despairingly.

"He's still in town, right?" Makarov asked, receiving an affirmative nod. "Levy saw him returning to his house when she went to look for Jet and Droy."

"That means he probably has something for me. I'll soften him up for you," Makarov grunted, grumbling under his breath. "Silly brat, pretending not to care means you have to stop helping us out. Idiot."

The door to the medical room opened, and a heavily bandaged Laxus stood in the frame, looking rather downcast. Mirajane stood up gingerly, escusing herself from the impending talk between Dreyars. As she passed the morose blond, she gave him a sympathetic pat to the arm. "Good luck."

As for Makarov, the old man suppressed a sigh as he once more prepared to cut his heart to ribbons for the sake of the guild.

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The Fantasia Parade, for all the chaos that preceded it not hours ago, had proceeded along swimmingly. Erza smiled in satisfaction as everyone was collapsed in the wrecked guild hall in various hilarious poses, drunk and happily snoring away. Only she and the master were still awake, and this provided a perfect opportunity for her to pose him a couple of questions that she had been dying to ask. Winding through the mess of splayed limbs and contorted bodies, she finally stood before the venerable man, seated on the bar counter with his pipe in hand. She could tell that Makarov seemed to have anticipated the upcoming dialogue.

"Master," Erza began hesitantly. "Do you mind if I clarify a few things with you?"

"I'm sure you have plenty of questions for me," Makarov remarked, taking a puff of his pipe. "Go on."

"Did you know about Mystogan's identity?" the crimson-haired woman asked bluntly. Makarov gave her a slow nod, indicating his prior knowledge. Erza would have felt betrayed had she not known about Makarov's love for everyone in his guild. He would never willingly harm a member of Fairy Tail for as long as he lived, physically or emotionally. "May I know why you hid it from me?"

"It wasn't really my choice to make. It was Mystogan's himself. Although, I'd wager that his teacher had something to do with that decision," Makarov huffed, an angry pout on his wrinkled features. "If it were up to me, I would have seated the both of you down to hash things out, but against my better judgement, I let things be. I thought I could rely on Naruto to do the right thing, but it appears I was deceived too."

"What do you mean by that, Master?" Erza queried, associating the name to Ráfaga. "How did he deceive you? How did Mystogan's teacher influence him?"

"I believe I told everyone about how he did shadowy work for me. What I never said was what brought such an arrangement on," the guild master sighed, feeling miserable just thinking of the man. "Only four people aside from myself know anything of Naruto's past. The thing is, he's not from Earthland."

"You mean…"

"Yes. He's from another world, maybe even another universe. I have no idea, and he doesn't either. But what matters, is that his former world was pervaded by warfare and conflict since the beginning of time. His world was on…possibly beyond the cusp of obliteration. He initiated a dangerous technique to try and change things, but ended up here with us," Makarov explained. "He's a ninja, and I'm not joking on this matter. His people dealt with subterfuge, espionage and assassinations on a regular basis. Their entire way of life was based around covert activities."

"So that explains his propensity for deceit," Erza mused aloud.

"In a sense, it does. I believe there's more depth to the man than just a habit for pretence, but that's not something for me to share," Makarov commented, before continuing his exposition. "When he arrived on our humble world, he was found most fortuitously by Porlyusica, who recommended Fairy Tail to him. I shudder to think if someone of his abilities were to be aligned with the dark guilds. From there, he made an offer to me. He would provide his abilities as a service to me, in exchange for a sanctuary."

"So why did he mask his identity from us if he sought to establish a home here?" Erza asked in curiosity.

"Paranoia, in my opinion. Before he reached us, he was a hunted man, alone and against the odds. When you are trying desperately to save the world, while being chased around the globe by the tyrant who controlled said world, anyone would develop a healthy sense of paranoia. For people of his profession, it's probably even worse," Makarov said, pity evident in his voice. "As a result, when he met Mystogan, he left his indelible mark on the kid. Mystogan mimicked his teacher, and would rather hide his face than confront the issue of his identity with you."

"I see…do you know where Mystogan has gone, Master? I think it will be good for us to clear the air as soon as possible," Erza enquired.

Makarov shook his head at that. "Not a clue, but I believe Naruto is back in town. He may be cognizant of Mystogan's whereabouts. I suppose you remember where he stays?"

"Yes I do…wait, he's back in Magnolia Town?" Erza knitted her eyebrows. "When did he arrive?"

"According to Mira, right when she was about to fall to her death, after _Satan Soul_ deactivated in the midst of her battle," Makarov shrugged, relaying all his information. "He appeared out of nowhere to catch her, and proceeded beat up Freed. Mira also thinks he was the one to put you to sleep and take down _Thunder Palace_."

"So it was he, and not Mystogan…" Erza murmured, thinking back to the events a few hours prior.

During the confrontation with Laxus, she had been blindsided by the Mystogan-is-Jellal revelation. Afer she left the three dragon slayers to duke it out, she attempted to take down Laxus's _Thunder Palace_ with the rest of the guild. Instead, she was put to sleep before anything could happen. She woke up after everything was over, only to find out from Warren Rocko that before he could organise the guild members, all the lacrima orbs were destroyed at one go. She initially thought it had been Mystogan who used his _Sleep Magic_ on her, but on hindsight, Naruto was just as likely a culprit. After all, he was likely the one to help Mirajane and Mystogan with learning _Sleep Magic_.

"Thank you for entertaining me, Master," Erza bowed. "I bid you a good night. I have some things to contemplate."

"I'm sure you do."

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"For the last time, Naruto, stop sneaking into my room at night," Makarov whined, as he entered his bedroom. "Mirajane told me about your intervention in her fight with Freed. I thought that was a very convenient way back into the guild that you spurned there."

"I'm not here to discuss my place in Fairy Tail, or what I did yesterday," Naruto snorted, leaning against the wall beside the door. "I was investigating what's left of the Tower of Heaven, and I came into contact with Oración Seis. They were looking for Jellal's body. One of them said they wanted to achieve enlightenment. A dark guild, seeking enlightenment? I think it's a veiled reference to _Nirvana_, which Racer didn't expect me to figure out. I think something needs to be done about this, and urgently at that."

"What do you suggest then? We organize a hunting party for one of the smallest dark guilds in existence? We wouldn't even have a fool's hope of tracking them," Makarov scoffed dismissively, before his eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Unless you already have something in place?"

"I planted a temporary _Hiraishin_ tag on Midnight when I was fighting him," Naruto answered promptly, crossing his arms. "It's not going to last much longer, but I had his location pinned to somewhere in the Waas Forest, near Cait Shelter. Given that's where _Nirvana_ is most likely to reside, I think they must be ready to begin their plans. We have to stop them before the whole world is plunged into madness."

"And why do you care anyway?" Makarov sighed heavily, removing his jester hat of the day. "I thought you said you don't belong because you're not from this world. You don't have to risk life and limb for a world and a people whom you have no attachments to, no?"

"Damn it, Makarov, stop dragging my supposed problems into every discussion!" Naruto roared, slamming his fist against the wall. The plaster cracked from the impact as Naruto's chest heaved with all his repressed exasperation. "I'm just one person! I don't need your concern, not when the entire world is about to go to hell! I can handle my own shit! Aren't you one of the Wizard Saints? Don't you have some responsibility to the people? Get your ass in gear and do something about the villains about to destroy your world! Fuck my supposed issues!"

"No. I told you before that we have to talk, and we will. Oración Seis can wait until I'm done with you," Makarov said with finality. "And I won't budge or allow you to leave until I deem our conversation over."

"And how are you going to stop me?" Naruto responded sarcastically, glaring at his former master.

Makarov folded his arms, returning the stare unflinchingly. "I've been informed of your new title. You might be a Wizard Saint now, but I am still higher-ranked than you. I've forgotten more magic than you've learnt. Look, I had to excommunicate my son and my grandson. I'm not about to lose another one of my children without a fight, metaphorically or literally."

"You will fight me and demolish your house just to talk to me about the problems you think I have?" the blond asked incredulously. "Are you senile?"

"That's what you seem to have assumed since you stepped into this place ten years ago," Makarov frowned fractionally. "Did you not recognize that I'm not some doddery old fool, or did you let my outwardly appearance deceive you like yours deceived everyone else, or so you claim? I'm one of the Ten Wizard Saints, as you proclaimed so heatedly. Please don't underestimate me any more."

"Fine, if that's how you want to play it," Naruto huffed in resignation. "What do you want me to say? That I shouldn't have left? That I should have kept mum? That I should apologise for not telling everyone about Lisanna? She's in Edolas now, and there's nothing we can do to bring her back without causing massive upheavals."

"No, that's not what I wanted to talk about. I'm not interested in what you do, or what you did. I want to talk about your _attitude_," Makarov replied gently. "Mira-chan recounted your words to me, and I've come to a very simple conclusion. I should never have accepted that offer. I should have forced you to join Fairy Tail under your real name, prevented you from doing whatever operations you felt were necessary for you and only you to perform. I neglected you for my other children, and I've come to regret that oversight of mine."

"And what do you think is wrong with my attitude? I don't see anything wrong with the way I deal with things or people," Naruto furrowed his brow, his tone defiant. Makarov shook his head, a soft sigh escaping his lips. "Your attitude towards _life_, Naruto, is what I'm driving at. You never forgave yourself for leaving your world, did you?"

"That has nothing to do with how I choose to live my life here," Naruto stiffened, indignant, only to be interrupted by a bitter chuckle from Makarov. "I think I know myself better than you do, old man. You only saw Ráfaga, a single facet of me. Hell, it's not even a reflection of the real Naruto. I'm the only one who knows the complete me, the real me."

"You're wrong. You have no understanding of your true feelings, hidden in the depths of your heart. Shall I explain it all to you?" Makarov smiled genially.

"Fine, go ahead," Naruto sighed in exasperation, allowing Makarov to begin his monologue.

Makarov took a deep breath as he began to speak, watching Naruto's nervous eyes carefully. "When you first came to our world, all you could think of was how you didn't deserve to be a part of the peace we enjoy. You felt that you had essentially betrayed your loved ones, and consequently, you ought to be punished for abandoning them. You became a masochist yearning for punishment, even death. You mentioned enjoying fights with difficult opponents before, didn't you? I think that's a symptom of your desire to die, and not your attempt to embrace Fairy Tail's unofficial ethos."

"You didn't craft Ráfaga consciously. Or rather, Ráfaga was moulded spontaneously by your encounter on the very first day with Cana. You saw her alone, and you must have felt a certain kinship with her. You couldn't bear to see someone as lonely as you were before. You felt you had to do something about it, and so assumed the friendliest persona you could think of, based off maybe someone from your past. In your heart, she became the replacement for your people, someone you can protect wholeheartedly, to fulfil a deep-seated wish to keep someone precious safe. Your guilt towards your loved ones only increased your desire to keep her safe and happy, to give her what you couldn't give your loved ones.

You didn't reveal much of your real self to her, because you were paranoid from your days as a ninja. You were afraid of people knowing whom you really were, knowing all your abilities and your weaknesses. You also wanted to believe that you weren't Ráfaga; that you couldn't be as carefree as he was, as friendly as he was, as merry as he was. You didn't want to receive the happiness that Ráfaga enjoyed. You didn't want to accept that Ráfaga, despite being an alter ego, was still you. You wanted to compartmentalize him, to keep him separate from the rest of your 'real' self, so that you can leave the guild at any moment with no regrets.

And then you left clues for Cana, didn't you? You expected her to find out about your clandestine activities, but you didn't actually want her to accept you despite the things you did. Deep down, you wanted her to _reject_ you. You wanted her to scream and rave and rage at you, and disown you as a brother. You wanted her to abandon you, just like how you felt you abandoned your loved ones. You thought that by the time Cana grew old enough to understand and decipher the information you fed her over the years, she would be mature enough to strike out on her own. She would have friends to support her through the painful process of separating from her surrogate brother. You wanted to be hurt as much as you felt you hurt your people.

That's also why you were so easily busted by Mirajane when she followed you, and by Erza when she fought you as Aria. Erza told me she managed to uncover your deception when she cut up your coat. The coat was imbued with _Transformation Magic_, right? I bet you do that for every other infiltration. You had a cloak for Maelstrom as well, didn't you? You purposely chose to use your coats and cloaks as the shield for your identities, but even for an idiot, that must be the silliest idea ever. You would want any magic scripts to be placed as close to you as possible, as unexposed to the outside world as possible, to ensure you won't get caught. Truth is, like it was with Cana, you _wanted_ to get caught. You wanted people to nab you, expose you, and condemn you for your actions. Maybe you even wanted to be incarcerated and executed.

Speaking of Mirajane, she was your reprieve and your sin. You never intended to get close to her, but you gravitated to her as she did you. Your guilt prevented you from having any serious relationships, because you felt unworthy of them. On the surface, yes, you did care for her wellbeing and everyone else's. Hiding your identity went a long way to keeping Fairy Tail safe from the wrath of the dark guilds. But you only used that as an excuse. You were just afraid of falling in love, of finding happiness with her. You didn't want to, because what you sought in Fiore was not happiness, but penance. You found yourself getting closer to her only because you couldn't help it. You were starved of affection, weren't you? To be so desperate as to try time travel of all things, you must really have lost everyone you cared for.

Like Cana, Mystogan was another person whom you identified with. He was a budding martyr, protecting people he didn't know from his own. You felt that he was much like you; stranded in another world, doing his best to protect it despite not originating from here. His apparent need to hide his true identity was the clincher that made you take him under your wing. You never had the opportunity to teach back in your world, I presume, but you had teachers. These teachers probably taught you things, and handed you their legacies. One of them was most likely seeking a world of peace. Given what tidbits about your world you dropped, I would hazard a guess and say that's roughly the dream of every single teacher you had, not just one of them.

From them, you received a lesson on the importance of handing down your dreams to the next generation. You learnt the value of peace, and yearned for it too. Your pessimistic views of the world told you that even in Fiore, there couldn't always be peace. You never intended to stay here forever, so you had to find someone to continue your dreams when the time came for you to leave. Mystogan was your answer to that. He was to be the saviour in the shadows, something you actively encouraged in him. Young and impressionable, he took your words to heart instead of just talking with Erza, settling the issue of his identity once and for all. You never intended to let him go back to Edolas, which is why you stalled on going there since you've met him. You are more than capable of helping him end the problem without fuss, but you never did.

But even as you taught Mystogan, you tried to establish peace on your own as Maelstrom. You went on missions to eradicate evil, to defeat dark guilds, to rid the world of pain and suffering. When I told you that Fiore was your new home, you took it to heart in your own way. You replaced your old home with Fiore in your mind, and dreaming of penance, you went about 'saving' Fiore from the darkness that existed within her. You never really cared for this world. It was a way for you to atone for your perceived failures, a way for you to alleviate the guilt that was entrenched so deeply inside your soul. Also, the missions I've seen you gone on, the missions you gave yourself…many of them are practically suicidal. Perhaps you hoped to die on one of these missions? So you can achieve penance? So you can rejoin your people in the afterlife?"

"That's…" Naruto began lamely, only to find himself struggling for a response. "That's only what you think."

"It's the truth. The truth you refuse to see, the truth you deny, the truth that you _need to accept_," Makarov insisted, before sighing deeply. "Look, I'm no psychiatrist, and you've buried all these things so deep inside you, not even you can see it yourself. I can only guess at your real mental state. But I'd like to think that I read you correctly."

"You have to accept that what's done is done, and learn to forgive yourself for something that's not your fault. Martyrdom is not the answer," Makarov concluded.

"So that's it then? I'm a masochist with suicidal tendencies, because I'm carrying overwhelming guilt? And what treatment do you propose, Makarov-_sensei_?" Naruto snorted snidely.

He was fidgeting uneasily as he said those words, clearly perturbed by how accurate Makarov's words seemed to describe him. Makarov couldn't help but feel a deep pang of sympathy for the blond ninja that stood before him, forced to carry the weight of the world alone, and willingly carried it even when he didn't need to anymore. "Talk to us. Tell us everything about your past, from your earliest memories to the last days of your time in your homeland. It doesn't have to be me. It can be anyone you trust. You've bottled everything up for a decade. It's time to let it all out."

Naruto was trembling as he straightened himself, and took a shaky breath to regain some composure. "I…I'll take your advice into consideration. And don't forget, Oración Seis."

"I will handle it," Makarov smiled warmly, as the man vanished. _Shaken to the core, and yet still giving his all…humans have limits, Naruto. You don't have to shoulder every burden on your own. That's what your loved ones are there for. That's what Fairy Tail is about._

_Family._

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Naruto laughed bitterly as he sat alone in the darkness of his home. It was such a strange feeling, to think of the house in Magnolia Town as home. Ten years was a long time; more than enough for Konoha to be a distant memory that he had trouble picturing at times. The people who made him who he was, the people who loved and cared for him; it was so difficult to pinpoint their looks now. All he had were the messages they left for him, ways of life that he took to heart. But he failed them, didn't he?

He failed to protect his precious people, as Haku taught him. He failed to establish the peace Jiraiya and his father believed he could. He abandoned his friends and comrades, the complete opposite of what Kakashi had taught him. He was the last man alive that was free of Madara's clutches. He was a partner of the greatest of the nine _bijū_. He had a responsibility, a duty to uphold. But he failed.

Was it so wrong to fault himself? Madara was the perpetrator, but failing to fulfil his obligations to the world was just as much of a crime. He had the power to change things, but he effectively left his people to suffer while he went gallivanting around Earthland, happy as a clam. How could he justify such actions, when his people were dead or suffered under the thrall of _Mugen Tsukuyomi_?

Makarov's talk had shaken him to the core, as the various layers of his psyche were torn off crudely until he was stripped bare. He really didn't want to believe a single word that came out of the guild master's mouth, but he couldn't refute them anymore. His mind replayed Makarov's address in his head over and over again, and it made too much sense for Naruto to deny. The realisation made him feel so weak; only weak-minded people would have been controlled by self-inflicted guilt for so long. Was he really that pathetic? He didn't remember if there was a time in his life when he had been such a wreck of a man, living a wretched existence like this.

Where was the headstrong child who never backed down, who brushed off failure without a second thought? Where was the teenager who vowed never to regret his actions, to move forwards without casting a second glance back? Was he really just using the members of Fairy Tail as substitutes for his own lost loved ones? He hurt them so he could hurt himself. When did he become so selfish, so self-absorbed that he would cast innocent people as actors in his drama of tragedy? When did his life start to revolve around punishment, around a masochistic desire to experience the worst sort of psychological trauma he could throw at himself? Did every action of his, stem from his subconscious need to alleviate his guilt?

Trapped in a whirlwind of self-reproach, he didn't even have the energy to get up when he heard the soft clink of keys, and the sound of the tumblers turning in the lock. His door creaked open slowly, the soft moonlight streaming in behind the figure. But Naruto would recognise that hair anywhere, as Mirajane stepped into his home, shutting the door gently behind her. Darkness returned to envelop the living room in its cold embrace, but Mirajane knew the place like the back of her hand. Briefly, Naruto wished she had thrown away her copy of the key after their falling out, so she couldn't be there to speak to him.

Mirajane sat down beside him on the couch, but he couldn't muster the strength to push her away again. He stiffened as a pair of warm arms wrapped around his upper torso from the side, and a head leaned upon his shoulder. His arm was trapped between two soft globes of flesh as he shuddered, unable to deny the comfort that her soft hug gave his tortured soul. Mirajane's tuft of standing hair tickled his unclothed cheek, brushing over the faint whisker marks. He shut his eyes, swallowing deeply as he relaxed in her loving embrace, words of protest dying on his chapped lips.

"Did Makarov send you here?" Naruto finally spoke, his voice cracked and wobbly.

"In a sense, he was responsible. But even if he didn't, I would have come anyway," Mirajane replied. She didn't think he needed to hear any half-truths. What was required between them now was complete, utter honesty. "He told me a little bit about the burdens you've been carrying."

"It's not your weight to bear," Naruto mumbled. "You don't need to do this."

"But I want to. Is that so hard to comprehend? You are not alone, even if you think you ought to be," Mirajane murmured, tightening her hug a tad. "We care for you like you care for us. It's the job of family to support each other in times of need."

"But I don't even know if I really care for you, or I am just supplanting my love for my people on to you," Naruto choked, his hands clenching into fists on his lap. Mirajane pressed her soft lips to the crook of his shoulder, planting a chaste kiss through the cloth of his shirt. "It doesn't matter. You can always learn how to love again."

"I'm not Ráfaga," Naruto argued weakly. "I can't be him anymore."

"You don't have to be. But as long as he's still inside here," Mirajane tapped his chest, above his beating heart. "Then it means that the sort of man whom I admired all this while still exists, inside of you. And as long as even a sliver of that man is around, I can learn to love all of you, from head to toe. In fact, I might grow to like this version of you better. Someone who can put everything on the line for the ones you love, someone who will carry that love to the ends of time…is someone who deserves to be treasured forever."

"I'm…I'm not worthy of your love. I hurt you. I hurt everyone," Naruto trembled, unbidden tears streaming down his face in rivulets. "And I failed my people. I should have stayed with them until I saved them or died trying. I can't…I can't protect you…"

"No, you didn't. You did everything you could. You said you even tried to travel through time, didn't you? You couldn't have done anything more," Mirajane retorted, squeezing the man as his body quivered from his silent sobs. "I think if they loved you like you loved them, they would have wanted you to move on. I still remember the words you spoke to me on the day Lisanna disappeared. You told me that even though she was gone, I still have family that I need to live for, family I couldn't abandon."

"You have family to live for too. We all need you back. Cana needs her brother back. Wakaba and Macao need their drinking partner back. Master needs his son back," Mirajane encouraged, a sweet smile on her lips as Naruto turned to face her, tear tracks staining his scarred cheeks. "_I_ need you back. So please, don't abandon us. Come back to Fairy Tail."

"I…I don't deserve this. I don't…" Naruto sniffed, hand stretching forwards to wipe the scant droplets that leaked from the corner of Mirajane's eyes. "…I don't deserve you…"

"Love isn't deserved. Love is given without question," Mirajane's smile broadened, as she nestled Naruto's head into the crook of her neck. She blinked back happier tears as the man's arms reached out to wrap around her waist loosely, shortening the distance between their bodies. Naruto's words, muffled and mumbled, reached her nonetheless. "T-Thank y-you."

"It will be difficult for me to learn to call you Naruto instead of Ráfaga…but I'm willing to try," Mirajane whispered, stroking the soft hairs at the nape of Naruto's neck. "Will you allow me to learn how?"

_Will you let me shoulder your burdens? Will you let me understand your woes? Will you let me share your joy?_

_Will you let me into your heart?_

He tightened his embrace.

_Yes, I will._


	16. Chapter 15: Light

**Author's Notes:** Welcome to the last chapter before my hiatus! It's the dreaded romance stuff once more, and as easy as the words came for me compared to the last chapter, you guys will probably be up in arms saying 'gah, Jiraiya's Dream REALLY sucks at romance'. Probably criticise my poor sense of humour too. I had fun doing the scene with the guild masters though; it's part of the build up for Oración Seis, but really, I just wanted to feature Bob.

You might feel that the Naruto in this chapter is inconsistent with the Naruto in the last chapter. It's because I'm trying to integrate Ráfaga and Naruto. You may ask, how can a man with his psyche stripped bare, recover in just one night? Well, he poured his heart out to Mira, and there's plenty of love in the air to overcome the angst and heal his deep emotional wounds. Isn't it kind of _shōnen_ anyway, to have someone undergo massive character changes almost instantly, via fighting? I mean, just look at canon Naruto's battles. I merely substituted 'fighting' with 'talking and weeping'. A review even pointed out that I should have gone the pure _shōnen_ route and did a fight. With who, Makarov? Can't please everyone I suppose.

And thanks for the positive response for the previous chapter! It did divide opinion as expected, but some people seem to like it, and that's all I need. I thought it was lacking in intensity at the end, because I wasn't feeling really sad/demoralised by that Naruto/Mira scene like I do with emotional stories. But judging from the reviews, I'll chalk that up to me being a cold-hearted S.O.B. instead.

A guest reviewer proclaimed I should take down my story because it doesn't feature an Uber!Naruto. I get that many people like Uber!Naruto, and I liked it in the past. But don't the fights get boring? Naruto easily kicking everyone's ass makes it harder for me to develop him as a character too. Where are you guys at on this issue?

There are plenty of stories containing Uber!Naruto for the reviewer to read, so why hate on mine? I really don't get some people. Well, it's not like I'll see him again. He stopped at chapter 3, where Naruto beats up an entire dark guild...which implies a strong Naruto, right? Unless he wanted to see Naruto beat up Gildarts...I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry at this point.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto or Fairy Tail.

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**Chapter 15: Light (X784)**

Sunlight poured forth through the windows, ensconcing two sleeping individuals with its warm embrace. Naruto slid his eyelids open, his body staying perfectly still as he registered the presence of another person with him. He had always been alone while asleep; never before had someone held him while in slumber. He only relaxed when the familiar tuft of white hair clued him in to the person's identity. Vaguely, he noticed that they were still on the couch; he was lying on his back, while Mirajane was sprawled over his chest, mumbling something in her sleep.

Memories of the night before gradually asserted themselves, as Naruto allowed a small but genuine smile to grace his features. They had talked through the night about his trials and tribulations, and more than once, Naruto found himself crying uncontrollably. He had vowed never to cry when he was a child of six, but there was only so much a man could take before his suppressed emotions caught up with him. Mirajane's soothing presence beside him was more than welcome. She didn't say much during his lengthy reminiscence, only offering a sympathetic ear and the comfort of affectionate physical contact. It reaffirmed what everyone seemed to know but Naruto could never grasp until then; that there were people there for him.

It was all still rather novel to Naruto. In the past, he had many people whom he considered family. He knew that his parents loved him unconditionally. He knew that both Hokages of his time, and all of his teachers cared for his well-being. He knew that his friends treasured him as an important part of their lives. He knew of, but never had the chance to experience Hinata's love for him. They all showed their love in different ways; some sacrificed themselves for him, others gave him the time of their day when no one else would. But never before had he found a confidant he could truly unload the weight in his chest to, a person whom he could place his unadulterated trust in.

From the moment Mirajane implied her forgiveness, keeping him from killing Freed in a fit of pique, Naruto knew he had found his solace. For her to accept him despite lying to her, hurting her, rejecting her…it told him that she was a one of a kind. To some, it would seem strange for Naruto to be attracted to Mirajane, given that he watched her grow up from her prepubescent years to the beautiful woman she was today. If he were not the one entangled in this particular circumstance, he would be similarly suspicious of his motives. Naruto felt almost thankful for Lisanna getting sucked into Edolas; the drastic, one-eighty change allowed Naruto to view the headstrong, some would say _tsundere_, Mirajane as the irritating niece; the lovely idol his love interest.

He doubted the guild would have objected if this happened a month ago. After all, everyone assumed he and Mirajane were an item, regardless of the age gap and the insistence from both parties that there was nothing between them (a futile task they gave up on upon the umpteenth teasing). But now, he was the betrayer, the liar, the man who allowed Phantom to run riot and hid Lisanna's fate from everyone. Fairy Tail may be one of the most forgiving of families, but even they couldn't just ignore his actions and inactions. Enemies can be accepted into the fold with only the slightest of resistance, like Juvia and Gajeel. You couldn't fault them for fighting for their own _nakama_ too. But what about a friend who turned his back on his allies? Can everyone be as forgiving of him as Mirajane?

Naruto would bet all his jewels that Makarov would scold him for his pessimism if he could hear the blond man's thoughts then. But even so, it would be wise to keep his distance until things cooled down a little. Ever since the year started, it had been one disaster after another. Forcing them to welcome him once more seemed a tad too far. It would also strain Mirajane and possibly Makarov's relationship with the rest of the guild. Undoubtably, they would try and convince her that he was bad news, and she would channel that obstinacy from her youth to refute their claims. There was no need to introduce more problems when the guild was still in convalescence after the miniature civil war. And after all, Makarov just excommunicated Laxus for endangering the guild. It would be quite hypocritical to allow Naruto back, right after that decision.

He knew Mirajane would do her utmost to bring him back into Fairy Tail. He really didn't want to disappoint her again, but he hoped she would understand his concerns. As if on cue, Mirajane yawned cutely as she woke up, blearily noticing Naruto underneath her. She gave him a sleepy smile, and lay back down on his chest to sleep again. Then, as if struck by lightning, she squeaked in shame as she practically leapt off Naruto, shuffling to the other end of the couch. A crimson blush stained her cheeks as her aquamarine eyes flitted about the room, as if looking for an escape route. She let out another odd sound as Naruto sat up, finally freed from his rather soft entrapment.

"Relax, Mira. Nothing happened," Naruto tried to reassure her.

The girl relaxed slightly, but her ears were still burning red from the embarrassment of waking up on top of her love interest. She wasn't sure where their relationship stood at the moment, given last night was more of an emotional roller-coaster for one of them, than a romantic night together. What were the limits of their interactions, now that Naruto had implicitly accepted her love? How did they determine personal space? What sort of things did Naruto expect from her? While Naruto's voice seemed rather calm, Mirajane wondered if he was disappointed that cuddling was all they did. He was older; surely he had more experience than she did. He would know what to do, right?

Unfortunately, she wasn't exactly the most experienced girl at relationships, and there weren't any regular, stable couples back in Fairy Tail she could look to for help. Alzack and Bisca could scarcely look at each other without blushing. Then there was Jet and Droy, hankering after the oblivious Levy (who, now that Mirajane thought about it, seemed to be edging closer to Gajeel…). Lisanna and Natsu were another former 'couple' that made little sense. Was she supposed to act as forward as her sister did? And then there was Juvia and Gray…_I need better references than our guild of weirdos!_ Mirajane mused anxiously. How was she supposed to know how to act around Naruto when she had no proper reference point?

"Are you alright, Mira? You seem rather panicked," Naruto enquired, slowly shifting back. "Am…am I too close?"

"Yes…uh, I mean, no!" the ivory-haired girl practically shouted, clearly overcome with anxiety. Naruto scratched the back of his head in confusion. "Mira, maybe you might want to calm down, and talk me through whatever is going on in your head. I think I can be comfortable with us confiding in each other, now that I've basically recounted my entire life story to you."

"I…I don't know anything about being a girlfriend," Mirajane whispered, her face aflame. She stared at her lap in mortification, but when Naruto remained silent, she sneaked a peek at the blond. He was in a state of catatonia, clearly blindsided by her words. "Wait…girlfriend?"

Mirajane had to admit, even for a man of twenty-six…no, twenty-seven now, he was still pretty cute to have these sort of reactions. Then, she realised that she was probably wrong to assume he was more experienced than her; didn't she just hear his whole life story? He had enjoyed barely enough happiness to last a child for a year, let along a man nearing his thirties. Maybe it was better for both of them that she took the reins of the relationship; his mindset was still awfully messed up, and Mirajane had no doubt he would be ultra cautious around her, so that he wouldn't hurt her again. Besides, guys had no relationship barriers when it came to girls, while girls had all sorts of boundaries they needed to decide whether to let the man pass or not.

_It might be good for me to set the pace instead. Perhaps I can refer to how Lisanna dealt with Natsu after all…_ Taking a deep breath, Mirajane forced down her embarrassment to look Naruto in the eye. "Yes. Girlfriend. I love you, and I'd like to think that you reciprocate. That means we're a couple, right?"

"If you wish," Naruto nodded unsurely, testing the new word on his tongue.

He clearly wasn't used to the idea, donning a contemplative look on his face. Mirajane wanted to tear her hair out in frustration; when they _weren't_ a couple, they were comfortable with hugs and even platonic kisses. Now, she couldn't even get within touching distance of him before her face burned as hot as the sun. But before she could muster up the courage to seal the deal in some way, Naruto placed a large hand atop of hers. She blushed prettily, but what came out of his mouth was not exactly what she was expecting.

"Mira, I know you'll probably want me to return to Fairy Tail at this time, but…I think it's best if I stay away for a while," Naruto said, holding his breath nervously.

Mirajane blinked owlishly. _Didn't he just agree to us becoming a couple?_ "Would you mind explaining that decision?"

"Well, the guild has been through quite a lot of strife in recent months, and I think the wounds I inflicted during my departure haven't had time to heal," Naruto answered honestly. "Laxus was just excommunicated for bringing harm to Fairy Tail. I think trying to get me back in will be quite contrary to Makarov's decision."

She mulled over his words for a moment, taking care not to jump to conclusions. He sounded sincere, and his eyes conveyed an earnest desire for her to understand his point of view. He already showed that he didn't mind having a relationship with her, even if they were both unsure of how to go about establishing such a thing. So, acknowledging that he really just had the best interests of Fairy Tail and her at heart, she agreed with him. She took his hand into hers, squeezing it tightly. "But we're still going to be…together, right?"

"I'm not sure how to do this," Naruto admitted, scratching his neck as he tried to allay her distress. "My only experience with girls is constant rejection, a fake confession, then a _real_ confession before she sacrificed herself to protect me. Then the war came and there was just no time for romance. Oh, and there's also a very…sexually open subordinate here. I guess we should also talk about what I've done since I've been in Earthland, huh?"

"S-S-Sexually open?" Mirajane mumbled, her purple magical aura spilling out as her eyes glowed demonically. Naruto's hand was slowly being crushed to pulp as she leaned closer, a menacingly saccharine smile perched on her lips. "Who is she, _Naruto_? Are you…_cheating on me_?"

"We haven't even been together for a day!" Naruto protested the illogical treatment on reflex. "How could I have cheated on you when we weren't a couple before?"

Then, his brain caught up to his mouth, and realised what he just spouted to a girl who was feared by men twice her age when she was just a teenager. The eyes of the infamous Demon narrowed to slits as Naruto felt his bones getting ground into dust, literally. He nearly let out a whimper of fear, before he tried to mitigate the potential crisis. "M-Mira…how about we sit down over breakfast and discuss this civilly?"

Her eyes narrowed further, but she relented, and allowed his hand to go free. "I will cook, and you will tell me everything."

_I'm doomed._

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Erza knocked loudly on the door of Naruto's house. The night before, she was requested by Makarov not to look for Naruto for a day or so, which was fine with the swordswoman. She only wanted to satiate her curiosity with regards to Mystogan. It was not as if Mystogan was the Jellal she knew, so there was no immediate threat there. Even if he was, Jellal broke free of Zeref's control just before he died. So there was no rush for her to meet Naruto to find out more about the mysterious Jellal clone. The blond man probably needed a rest too, if he was really the one to take down _Thunder Palace_ on his own.

The one who opened the door for her, however, was Mirajane. The white-haired girl smiled happily at the sight of her friend, before welcoming her into the home. Erza noticed that Mirajane was wearing the blue gem necklace that Naruto gifted her a few years ago. She never took it off from the time she got it until the fateful day when Naruto left the guild. But even then, Erza knew she kept it on her somewhere. _If she is wearing the necklace again, and in Ráfaga's home no less…_ Blushing at the implications, Erza couldn't help but blurt out the first thing on her mind. "A-Are you and Ráfaga- I mean, Naruto-san in a relationship? I am less experienced than you are now, Mira, so please guide me well!"

Mirajane laughed uneasily at her friend's strange fixation on learning about love and relationships, though she wasn't really in any position to criticise. "We are, but please, don't tell anyone else. I don't think everyone will view this very favourably."

"Very well," Erza nodded solemnly.

She understood where they were coming from; Naruto was still a bit of a sore topic for some of the members in Fairy Tail, and it would do their budding relationship no good should the news of it leak out too early. Mirajane brought her to the dining table, where an unmasked Naruto was seated. Erza took a good look at the man's face, for she had never seen his features before. Erza was not much for romance, but even she could tell that he was a fairly attractive man. Curiously, there was a manila folder on the table, bulging from its contents. A kitchen knife was stabbed into the table, right beside the folder. The former Fairy Tail mage smiled weakly at Erza, his face pale and pasty. Erza attributed the tired look to his injuries from ending _Thunder Palace_.

"So, what brings you here, Erza?" Mirajane chirped, sitting down beside Naruto.

Erza took a seat across the couple, paying only minor attention to how close Mirajane was to Naruto, and how much sweat seemed to be pouring down the man's neck. "I was informed by Master that Mystogan is your apprentice, Naruto-san. I know of his remarkably similar looks to Jellal Fernandes, and I hope I can speak with him on the matter. Master told me you should have an idea of where he is right now. May I request for a meeting with him, if it is not too much trouble for you?"

"N-No, not at all," the blond man smiled. He held an intense look of concentration for a moment, before he replied. "He's not in town anymore, unfortunately, but I'm willing to answer some questions you may have."

"Who is he, really?" Erza asked bluntly.

"You know I mentioned that Lisanna is not dead, just not where we can reach her? Mystogan is from that place. It's a parallel dimension from the Earthland we live in," Naruto explained, to astonished looks from the two girls. "It's a bit hard to take in, and I don't have details, but it appears that everyone has their own counterpart there. Mystogan came to Earthland to fulfil a self-imposed mission. He's Jellal's counterpart from that world, hence their identical looks. There's no relation between them whatsoever."

"Is it possible for us to travel there?" Mirajane interjected, faint hope apparent in her eyes. Naruto sighed forlornly. "I know how much you want to head there to find Lisanna, but like I said, they are a parallel to us. We don't know what it's like there. Furthermore, they have been exploiting us for years without our knowledge. Mystogan is on our side precisely to stop that from happening. Can you imagine if we head there, unprepared for the world? It could really cause a war we can't win, especially if they feel threatened that we entered their dimension."

"Oh," the white-haired girl bit her lip, the hope draining out of her. Naruto placed a comforting hand on her hunched shoulders. "Don't worry. One day, we'll go there and find Lisanna together. I promise."

The two shared wistful smiles, and Erza wondered when and where she could herself someone like that. Unbidden thoughts of Jellal sprung up in her mind, before she ruthlessly crushed them. The man was dead; there was no point thinking about impossibilities. "Will you be able to contact him for me? I hope to clear the air with him. I know that he is not Jellal, and there is thus no reason for him to hide anymore."

"He's in Crocus right now, but I have no idea when he'll be back," Naruto answered slowly. "When he comes back, I'll direct him to you. Will that be satisfactory for you?"

"Thank you very much," Erza smiled, before a sudden thought struck her. "Naruto-san, I hope you don't mind me asking, but…what are your plans for the future?"

"I'm not too sure myself. I'll just take things as they come," Naruto replied, a soft smile curving his lips. "Thank you for the concern, Erza."

"Then, were you the one to end _Thunder Palace_?" Erza queried, before she added. "And put me to sleep before you did so."

"Yes. I thought it would be better if I took care of it for all of you. I wasn't too sure how you might take to my presence, and I thought it would be easier if you weren't awake to stop me for whatever reason you may get in your head," Naruto responded contritely. "I apologise if that action caused you any distress."

"Not at all. I was just surprised to wake up after everything ended," Erza said. "May I ask how you did it? And how did you return into Magnolia Town just in time to rescue Mira?"

"Mmm, I'm curious about that as well," Mirajane remarked, looking at Naruto intently.

"The necklace. I've incorporated a script that allows me to detect Mirajane's magic levels. If it rises above or drops below a certain point, I will be alerted," Naruto explained, pointing at the jewel resting on Mirajane's chest. "I've also included a script that allows me to teleport from wherever I am to the location of the script. As for _Thunder Palace_, I merely attacked all the lacrima with _Wind Magic_, and endured the pain."

Mirajane played with the blue gem of her necklace fondly, whispering a soft word of thanks to the blond man beside her. Erza once more found the situation rather awkward for her, and so rose to leave. Mirajane walked her to the door, telling her that she'll be back at the guild in a few more hours, and requested her to inform Master accordingly. Erza's face was flushed as she left Naruto's home, shaking her head slowly as she strolled back to the guild.

_I must ask for tips later!_

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Naruto heaved a deep sigh of relief as Mirajane finally left for Fairy Tail. She wasn't too amused with his working relationship with Ikaruga, and the man had been forced to spill all his secrets. The blond now knew why Wakaba was so afraid of his wife. There was just no keeping anything from women. However, Mirajane didn't seem _too_ unhappy at seeing Naruto's collection of nude photos from the pink-haired swordswoman. She didn't even confiscate the pictures; the whole knife-in-the-table threat was to inform him that if he were to use any pictures for…personal pleasure, then he jolly well ought to use photos of her.

He still wasn't sure how he was supposed to react to that. Was it wrong that he was intimidated, turned on and freaked out all at the same time? He didn't remember the post-Demon Mirajane being so assertive, nor did he recall a time when she was so forward about things. Sure, there was a fiery blush on her face when she said those words, but otherwise, it seemed like a blast from the past. He couldn't say he disliked it though. He preferred the sweet idol that everyone adored, but a bit of fire now and then wasn't amiss.

But ruminations about his relationship would have to wait. His presence in Magnolia Town was still unknown to most, but sooner or later the word would spread. He had no intentions of sticking around for too long, only to find Natsu barging into his home and demanding information about Lisanna. It might disappoint, or even anger Mirajane to find him away from home, but there were more important things afoot outside of Magnolia Town anyway. He hoped Makarov had already sent out messages to the other guilds about the imminent threat that Oración Seis posed. The only thing left now was for all of them to come together and end the threat of Oración Seis, and destroy _Nirvana_ once and for all.

In the meantime, he needed to talk to Roubaul. The man was the creator of _Nirvana_ after all, and it would be good if Naruto could obtain as much information about it as possible. Given Roubaul was a spirit that couldn't exactly leave Cait Shelter, he was considering representing Cait Shelter in the man's place. He was essentially free to join any guild he wanted now, and no matter what the outcome of attacking Oración Seis was, Cait Shelter was doomed anyway. Either _Nirvana_ was destroyed, freeing Roubaul to leave for the spiritual plane, or the world was destroyed. Neither option encouraged the survival of the guild. So even if he joined Cait Shelter, he wouldn't end up bringing any danger to the only living member of the guild, Wendy. It would be a very short marriage of convenience.

If there was going to be a formation of a team to fight Oración Seis, there was no way the guild masters wouldn't meet up and discuss a proper plan of action. That meant that if Naruto were present to take Roubaul's place, he would be privy to the guild masters' discussion, and be able to contribute as well. And should the masters not agree, he would be in a position to push for a resolution through other means. Naruto highly doubted that that would happen though; Makarov was old teammates with a few guild masters, and they trusted him explicitly. All he needed now was Roubaul's approval for his little scheme.

He was glad for his foresight, planting _Hiraishin_ markers all over Fiore. He had one in Cait Shelter, to visit and check up on Wendy. Mystogan was quite attached to the girl, and had asked Naruto to watch out for the child. He had been tempted to reveal himself to Wendy before, but that could have led to some uncomfortable questions. The cat she had with her was far too perceptive for his liking. Happy was about as silly as one might imagine a talking, flying cat, but Carla was intelligent and overprotective to boot. Carla took good care of Wendy though, and Roubaul made sure she never went on missions too dangerous for a young teenage girl. Hence, he had never spoken to the Sky Dragon Slayer.

He was sure Wendy would volunteer her support skills the moment Cait Shelter was involved in this Oración Seis business. From what Naruto knew, she was quite the excellent support mage, and he would definitely appreciate her presence in any team. However, that meant that she would be in danger, and he would have to keep her safe. Mystogan would kill him if he didn't. A _Hiraishin_ tag would do nicely, for he didn't intend on letting Wendy out of her sight if they went dark guild hunting. In any case, the best plan of action was to stick together; alone, each Oración Seis member was probably too much for any individual mage to handle. He could take them on himself, but he was the exception to the rule. So there shouldn't be an issue.

With his plan in mind, he wrote a short note to Mirajane, should she turn up at his doorstep later that night. Then, he disappeared without a trace, reappearing in Roubaul's quarters. It wasn't the most polite way to meet a man, materialising in his home so abruptly, but Roubaul didn't really mind Naruto's intrusive behaviour.

The man was not in his room. A quick check with _Sennin Mōdo_ told him that Wendy was not around in the guild. He didn't really want to answer any questions about his presence if he got caught loitering inside of Cait Shelter without notice. Stepping out of Roubaul's hut drew several intrigued glances from the illusionary guild members. Naruto ignored their inquisitive stares, and headed straight for the main hall. As he suspected, Roubaul was busy regaling his people with some ancient stories. At the sight of Naruto though, the spirit closed his mouth and swallowed the alcohol that was spilling all over his front. His illusions streamed out of the hall, leaving the two alone.

Naruto pushed his marvel at Roubaul's immense power aside, and sat down across the Cait Shelter master. "I think Oración Seis is after _Nirvana_."

To his credit, Roubaul remained perfectly calm. "It was going to happen sooner or later. Those with ill intent will always covet such devastating power. Are you able to stop them?"

"Not alone, and not when I have little clue on how they intend on attaining _Nirvana_," Naruto replied seriously. "I asked Makarov to gather the guild masters for a meeting, and see if we can form a team to take down Oración Seis for good. I thought of asking you for information, and to join Cait Shelter until this impending disaster is averted."

"Join us? Are you not already in another guild?" Roubaul questioned.

"I left under...acrimonious circumstances," the blond man shook his head. "It doesn't matter. What matters now is that I'm free to represent and fight under the name of Cait Shelter. It's beneficial for both you and me. From now until the time when Cait Shelter is needed no more, you'll have a Wizard Saint as your Ace. As for me, I get to fight under your banner if we manage to form an alliance of legal guilds, which will keep me from getting attacked by the hotheads in Fairy Tail when I show my face to them."

"Will Wendy be joining you to battle Oración Seis?" Roubaul asked worriedly. Naruto shrugged helplessly. "I think we could all use a support mage like her. I'm confident I can keep her safe, but I think we'll leave that decision up to her. She's quite mature now, and she can make her own choices."

"Very well, " Roubaul conceded.

"There's one more thing," Naruto said. "I'll like to be Cait Shelter's representative for the guild masters' meeting Makarov will most likely call for. Will that be okay?"

"I presume you have your reasons for wanting to do so. I can't leave the guild anyway, so do as you please," Roubaul remarked, drinking the alcohol in his hand with one massive gulp. "If you're joining the guild, I think it might be wise for you to stay until Wendy returns. A proper introduction will be good."

"Of course."

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Carla didn't know what to think of their new guild member. Wendy, the sweet girl that she was, made friends with the strange man almost immediately. Carla was far less trustworthy of men suddenly entering their guild, more so one as powerful as he claimed to be. He told an awed Wendy that he was recently handed the title of Wizard Saint, and showed them a medallion as proof. Carla was predisposed to believe he made a fake, but Roubaul seemed convinced. The guild master was a powerful mage as far as Carla could tell, and probably wouldn't be scammed by a fake Wizard Saint. So while she didn't have any personal confidence in the stranger, she grudgingly accepted his presence in their small guild.

That doubt was exacerbated when he informed Wendy that he knew of Jellal. Wendy had not seen her friend since he left her at Cait Shelter to chase something he called an _Anima_. Carla, of course, knew of _Anima_, but she didn't know that this Jellal character had left Wendy because of _Anima_. The blond man's knowledge, apparently gleaned from Jellal, was rather suspicious too, given that no one on Earthland should know of what Edolas was doing. The information served to cement Wendy's trust in the man named Naruto, but it made Carla all the more wary. The whole situation with Naruto and Jellal seemed awfully fishy to Carla.

So, that night, after Wendy had gone to bed, Carla sneaked out of their quarters to confront the guild's newest member. He was seated on the roof of his thatched hut, staring longingly into the dark night sky. He seemed pretty aware of Carla's presence too, greeting her without looking as she landed silently beside him, her tiny arms folded and her brow furrowed.

"Who are you really?" Carla demanded bluntly, uncaring of her brusque attitude. The man was unruffled by her sharp tone, slowly leaning back to lie down on the roof, cradling his head with his hands. "As I told Wendy, I'm one of the Ten Wizard Saints, and a friend of Jellal's."

Carla hopped onto the man's chest, adjusting her weight so she wouldn't slide off his metal body armour. She glared at the man fiercely although as a tiny cat, she wasn't all that intimidating. "What are your intentions? Wendy and that friend of hers are the only ones to know of their relationship, so you might be speaking the truth. But that doesn't mean I trust your intentions. What are you trying to accomplish by winning Wendy's trust? Are you planning to use that trust against her?"

"Aren't you the overprotective Exceed," the blond man remarked casually.

Carla hissed at the nonchalant leak of information no one but Edolas citizens should know. "What do you know, human?! Are you from Edolas too?!"

"No, I'm not. What I do know I learnt from Jellal," Naruto answered coolly. "You can choose to distrust me because you think I mean harm to Wendy, or you can believe my words and trust in the master's judgement. Really, if I wanted to hurt Wendy, I could have done so a long time ago. I don't need to gain her trust for that."

"Who is Jellal, and why does he know so much? What is his plan?" Carla all but shouted.

"He cares nothing for his people's plots, and only wishes to see peace. He is fond of Wendy, and merely asked me to look after her now that I am free to join Cait Shelter," Naruto replied vaguely. "You've been taking good care of Wendy all this while. Keep it up, for there are difficult times ahead of us."

"And what do you mean by that?" Carla hissed, concerned for Wendy's safety. "Is Wendy in danger?"

"She could be, but that's why I'm here. To help protect Wendy since Jellal can't," Naruto remarked cryptically. "Don't stress yourself out so much, Carla. It'll do you no good to be distracted by my presence in the guild. Wendy needs you by her side, more than she needs anyone else."

"You might be one of the Wizard Saints, but that doesn't make you invincible. If you harm one hair on Wendy's head, I'll kill you," Carla threatened darkly. To her shock, the man only patted her on the head gently, his eyes shut and curved into little inverted smiles. "That's a good attitude to possess, Carla."

"Tch. Whatever," Carla said dismissively, unnerved by the man's calm, almost cheery demeanour. "I'm going to bed."

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Makarov wasn't sure if he was pleased or frightened to see Naruto looking well rested and unperturbed by the night Makarov performed what some might deem crude psychoanalysis. On one hand, he might be well on his way to a healthier way of living, evidenced by Mirajane returning to the guild looking radiant and cheerful. On the other hand, he might be suppressing his guilt even more, which didn't bode well for anyone. He was then blindsided by the man's representation of Cait Shelter. If he didn't know Naruto better, he would have thought the blond was making the severance of ties even more concrete. Instead, he gathered the manipulative man was just trying to get into the meeting legally.

The flimsy excuse about Roubaul suddenly struck down by flu confirmed it. Makarov couldn't help but throw jibes at the ninja as the two of them sat on the train to Clover Town, where the usual guild masters' meeting took place. "You are slipping. What sort of excuse is the flu?"

"A simple lie is easier to mask than a complicated one," Naruto riposted, before he said quietly. "Thank you, old man. You've been a great help to me."

"Are you sure it wasn't Mira who…_helped_ you that night?" Makarov waggled his eyebrows suggestively. Normally, that would only lead to a mocking taunt from the blond, but Naruto coughed awkwardly instead. "We didn't do anything like that. And don't tell anyone. I don't need Mira constantly defending my honour. The guild has had enough strife as it is."

"So much for being the new Cait Shelter Ace, caring more about your old guild than your new," Makarov expressed mock disapproval, before smiling broadly. "It's good to see you doing better, kid. And Mira looks happier than she's ever been since Lisanna was still with us."

Naruto exhaled deeply. "Yea. Like you said, talking did help. I dimly remember having to confront my inner demons before. I hope that it's going to be the second and last time I ever have to do so."

"I think you ought to be more worried about what happens when everyone in the guild finally hears of you dating Mira," Makarov commented sagely. "Elfman is one thing, but I doubt anyone is going to give the boyfriend of Mira any rest for whisking her away. Wakaba will be especially jealous. And what about your Hato-chan?"

"I'll have to inform her that I'm attached. She'll just have to deal with it," Naruto shrugged, inwardly wincing at the thought of having to face Elfman. "As for Wakaba, that bugger's married. He's got no chance at Mira. Speaking of which, do you have any…advice? What I should do, what I should say, stuff like that."

"Well, you best be prepared for a life of servitude," Makarov sighed in melancholy, his own experiences coming to the fore. "Dating is like pulling off a successful heist. It's fun, it's thrilling, and you seem to have gained a lot from nothing. But marriage is like getting arrested after that crime. You lose your rights, your liberty, and when the adrenaline finally wears off, you realise how dreary your life has become, doing mundane chores and eating the same three square meals every day. It's a stable but banal existence that will suck the life out of you."

"That…doesn't sound very reassuring," Naruto choked out, resisting the urge to guffaw at Makarov's mournful look.

"Oh, it gets worse. Mira was talking to Juvia yesterday, after asking me if I knew where you were. She dismissed it as girl talk, claiming she wanted to help Juvia win Gray's heart, but I know better," Makarov shook his head slowly, reaching out to pat Naruto on the shoulder consolingly. "She's learning all of Juvia's mad fantasies to better chain you to her. You were doomed the moment you got attached."

"I think I can live with that," the blond man replied wistfully. "To be tied to a person who cares wholeheartedly for you is not such a bad thing. I've always yearned for family, seeing as I never had any. Mundane and boring doesn't sound too bad either. I think I've had enough excitement in my life."

"You say all that because Mira is a cover girl for Sorcerer Magazine," Makarov grinned perversely.

"You sure know how to ruin a great monologue, you pervert," Naruto chided.

The light banter continued until the train slowed to a halt at Clover Town. Disembarking, the duo headed for the meeting hall for guild master meetings. Before they reached the building, Naruto was quickly accosted by one of Makarov's former teammates. Naruto had seen a picture of Makarov's old team on the man's mantlepiece, and he had no earthly clue how Bob turned into what he was today. The cross-dressing, effeminate man was a far cry from the handsome, well-attired person in the photo. Naruto was a firm believer that love didn't have any boundaries, including gender, but he wasn't gay himself. Having an old, balding man try to chat him up was almost as disturbing as…well, Naruto had yet to see anything that disturbing.

"Ah~~ Ráfaga-kun~~" Bob tittered, his weird mannerisms belying his skill as he deftly snatched Naruto's arm into a vice grip. "How are you doing~~"

"Good. Please, Bob-sama, call me Naruto. Ráfaga was just my alias," Naruto shifted uncomfortably, shooting a dark glare at a sniggering Makarov. "I'm here to represent Roubaul-sama as part of Cait Shelter. I'm no longer in Fairy Tail."

"Oh, that's a pity~~" the man pouted. "Cait Shelter is very lucky to get such a interesting man like you~~ Oh, why did you not come to Blue Pegasus~~"

Makarov's snickers turned into a full-blown chortle. Bob seemed blissfully ignorant of his old friend's amusement. Naruto chuckled uneasily. "It came to my mind, but Makarov would be jealous that his old friend snagged me away from under his nose."

Bob giggled girlishly as Makarov coughed, choking on his own spittle from laughing too hard. "What a charmer you are, Naruto-kun~~ Oh, that name seems familiar, I wonder why~~"

"Because he's Uzumaki Naruto, the newest Wizard Saint on the block," Makarov declared proudly. Bob gushed at the achievement, squeezing his chest against Naruto's arm even tighter. "Oh, what a wonderful accomplishment, Naruto-kun~~ And so brave too, to do all those things as Maelstrom~~ Oh, Cait Shelter is so lucky to have you~~"

Naruto was never gladder to see the rebuilt meeting hall come into sight. Bob disengaged himself to greet Goldmine, the Quatro Cerberus guild master, while Naruto quickly made his way past, headed straight for the meeting area. It seemed that even with Makarov's clout, few other guilds had turned up for the meeting. _After all, not every guild has members strong enough to last even a second against the likes of Oración Seis_, Naruto thought, as he settled down at the table in the middle of the large hall. An old lady was already seated, her stern features observing Naruto's entrance hawkishly.

"Hmm, you're a young one. I've never seen you before," Ōba Babasāma remarked, peering closely at the blond man. Naruto removed his left glove, showing the Cait Shelter insignia printed on the back of the hand. "I'm representing my master, Roubaul-sama, given he's been struck by the flu."

"Oh, and what might your name be?" Ōba asked.

"Uzumaki Naruto, Ōba-sama," Naruto nodded politely. "Are we the only ones here?"

"Besides Makarov, Bob and Goldmine, yes," Ōba replied, snorting derisively. "I wonder what sort of genius plan Makarov has for us to fight Oración Seis. Ha! He thinks too highly of his own mages!"

"You have many outstanding mages in your guild too, Ōba-sama," Naruto remarked. "Jura Neekis is one of the Ten Wizard Saints, is he not?"

"Yes, he is the pride of our guild," Ōba smiled proudly, before her quick temper boiled over. "But I can't believe after Jose got his scrawny butt kicked by Makarov, he got replaced by some random independent mage! He might have done good things as Maelstrom, but…wait, did you just say your name is Uzumaki Naruto?"

"Y-Yea?" Naruto replied weakly.

"How come you have a higher rank as a Wizard Saint even though you received the title later, huh?!" the old woman screeched, getting into Naruto's face. "What's so special about you, huh?!"

"Because he took out plenty of dark guilds on his own, and is responsible for most of the intelligence the Magic Council got for the past decade," Goldmine answered dryly, coming to Naruto's rescue. "Welcome to this meeting, tiny as it is. Makarov told us it was something to do with Oración Seis, but even just the name scared off most other guilds."

"I wouldn't be surprised. They aren't the easiest opponents, that's for sure," Naruto grumbled, shaking Goldmine's hand. The Quatro Cerberus guild master froze. "You said…they weren't the easiest opponents. Does that mean you fought them?"

"It's why I pleaded for Makarov-sama to call this meeting," Naruto replied sheepishly, as Bob and Makarov arrived to get seated. "They were at the remnants of the Tower of Heaven, looking for Jellal Fernandes' body. They also mentioned _Nirvana_ to me. I think they've become a threat none of us can ignore any longer."

"We have no information whatsoever about their movements, their abilities, or their plans!" Ōba shouted, pointing an accusing finger at Naruto. "I won't stand for a kid like you ordering us guild masters around! You're only representing Roubaul, that old fart!"

"And yet, he's the only person amongst us to have encountered Oración Seis, and uncovered their basic plan, which is to find _Nirvana_," Makarov interjected, earning a grateful nod from Naruto. "If you wish to know, I fought Racer and Midnight. Racer uses _Slowing Magic_ in conjunction with a knife, as well as SE motorcycles to attack his opponents. Midnight uses _Reflector_, a magic that can manipulate all non-living matter. It's not impossible to defeat either of them, and Midnight is their strongest member."

"How do we know you're not just embellishing your feats?" Ōba retorted snidely.

"We should have faith in Naruto-kun's information. After all, the Council has been contracting him for intelligence work for ten years~~" Bob added, winking lasciviously at Naruto. The blond man resisted the urge to shudder. "I also have a general location, based on a temporary tracking tag I placed on Midnight about four days ago. They are searching for _Nirvana_ in Waas Forest, near Cait Shelter in fact."

"I believe if we gather our guilds' strength, we can take down Oración Seis for good," Makarov declared. "So, which guild is willing to contribute their forces? I'm willing to volunteer Fairy Tail mages for the gargantuan task ahead of us."

"Cait Shelter does," Naruto spoke up.

"As does Blue Pegasus~~" Bob smiled.

"Tch. As if I'd lose to any of you. Lamia Scale will send her best!" Ōba exclaimed.

"I would, but Bacchus is gallivanting off somewhere, and we don't have any other mages capable of fighting members of Oración Seis," Goldmine shook his head at Naruto. "Sorry kid."

"It's alright," Naruto acknowledged the guild master's words. "So, how shall we do this?"

"I have a mansion near the woods we can use as a staging ground~~" Bob contributed, giggling inanely. "It's closer to the woods than Cait Shelter~~"

"I think a week should be enough for us to gather our selected mages, and send them on this dangerous mission," Makarov decided. "So, Naruto, what else can you share with us about Oración Seis?"

"Well…"


	17. Chapter 16: First Blood

**Author's Notes:** WOOHOO! AN UPDATE! FINALLY! Heck, it's not even the longest break between chapters I see some stories have. So much for a 'hiatus' eh?

As I mentioned before, I've been distracted by other things going on in my life, and it's been somewhat difficult for me to finish this chapter. I told you guys I did half of chapter 16 already, but I scrapped all of that to move in a different direction for the arc. Thankfully, something called Labour Day came up, and I made the most out of it. I had the ideas in my head already; I just needed the time to write. Hopefully, the quality isn't too lacking :S

On a curious note, I noticed some reviewers mention that they only read my story because they accidentally stumbled upon it, and found it to their liking. Is this an ongoing trend with a lot of stories, or is my summary too...well, summarised? I always felt a short and concise summary was a better draw than long, rambling summaries that tell you everything about the story (and then some!). I'm not going to change it, of course, but I'm curious: what drew you guys to my story? The summary (I hope)? The title? The pairing? My pen name? Or that awesome image of Jiraiya I have as my profile picture?

Of course, I must thank you all for your wonderfully encouraging reviews, no matter if you read my story by accident or by design. I hope I can continue to write something that will entertain you guys until the story ends one day.

Finally, I wish I could promise regular monthly updates or something, but I can't. What I can promise, however, is that I will post a chapter as soon as it's ready to go online. Now then, on with the story!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto or Fairy Tail.

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**Chapter 16: First Blood (X784)**

Naruto milled about in the large meeting hall as Makarov's former team said their goodbyes to each other. Ōba had left already, unwilling to expose herself any further to the silly antics of the trio comprising Makarov, Goldmine and Bob. Well, she didn't mind the presence of Goldmine as much; the guy was pretty normal, all things considered. But Makarov was a dedicated pervert (whom Naruto needed to lecture about gushing over Mirajane's pictures some day) and Bob was…well, Bob was a pervert too, just with different tastes. The blond man knew Porlyusica was born grumpy, but he honestly felt that the crazy team that Makarov had assembled around him during his youthful days had something to do with her irritation at everything around her as well.

He had been planning to _Hiraishin_ out of the area once the meeting was over, but something held him back. Makarov would call it paranoia, but Naruto preferred to call it being cautious. There were plenty of things that could go wrong with such an ambitious plan to take down Oración Seis and destroy _Nirvana_, and he wasn't about to take chances. Oración Seis managed to thrive despite having only six members. He highly doubted that they could do that without a powerful intelligence network feeding them vital information. From his infiltration of Tartaros, he knew that of the three guilds in the Balam Alliance, Oración Seis was the most reliant on their feeder guilds. It was entirely possible that one of these guilds possess information gatherers.

And what better place to plant such spies than Clover Town? It was the regular meeting place for the regional guild masters' meeting, where every guild master in the area came by to discuss everything under the sun. Sure, plenty of it was useless gossip, but nuggets of important information were exchanged here too. If he were the leader of a dark guild, he would definitely want to place someone with information gathering abilities in Clover, so as to always remain a step ahead of the legal guilds. And even if the dark guilds didn't have a permanent spy hunkered down in Clover, Naruto would bet they would have sent someone over, the minute they heard about Makarov asking for help against Oración Seis.

It was probably impossible for Naruto to detect any untoward presence if the guild masters couldn't. But no masking spell could hide from _Sennin Mōdo_'s sensory abilities, not when it could detect even the slightest hints of magic. Unless a person's magic power was identical to the fluctuating amounts of Eternano surrounding him or her, there was no way of evading Naruto. He had not sensed any active spells watching them during the meeting, which made things easier. Finding a secluded corner in the large mansion-like building, Naruto sat down in the lotus position to begin his meditation. Eyes clamping shut, he allowed wisps of Eternano to flow into his body, mixing with his chakra. His field of magical perception widened immeasurably, as one by one, the magical presences in the region lit up like bright stars in the night sky.

Naruto could feel no immediate presence around the building besides the staff around, the guild masters leaving the place, and himself. Casting his detection net wider, he tried to look for other people with magic, but came up with nothing particularly incriminating. The town was clean, filled with civilians and a handful of unimportant mages. Naruto had investigated them before; anyone who lived in the vicinity of such an important location for legal guilds was on Naruto's radar the moment he began his journey as Maelstrom. They came up clean previously, but he decided to keep an eye on them anyway. Forming a clutch of _Kage Bunshin_, he ordered them to throw on _Tōton Jutsu_ and watch the movements of those mages.

Once his worry was eased, he continued his surveillance. The lack of results troubled Naruto's mind, as he turned to watching the guild masters while they were leaving Clover Town. Was he overestimating Oración Seis? Did the dark guilds not think as far as he did? It was difficult to shrug off thoughts of how incompetent Oración Seis might be, and how much worse the Magic Council was if they allowed the dark guild to roam free for so long despite that.

But at last, something came up. Naruto wasn't sure if he ought to deem that a good or bad thing, to sense a powerful magical presence appear within his radius of observation. The mage was moving slowly towards Clover Town, walking through the foliage that surrounded the town. Then, two more smaller magic users popped up beside the first, moving purposefully towards the strong magic of the person Naruto tagged as Goldmine. The guild masters had scattered already, which didn't bode so well for the potential crisis ahead.

_Time to get to work, I suppose._

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"Is there something wrong, Naruto-san?" Goldmine queried.

Naruto hopped off his perch on the tiled roof he had been travelling upon, landing soundlessly before the Quatro Cerberus guild master. They were on the outskirts of the town, a quiet area just before the tree line of the forests that blanketed the valley. The blond man's grim visage obscured by his mask, he silently wished that things didn't have to be so complicated. But life liked to throw him plenty of lemons, and he had no choice but to make as much lemonade as he could before the sourness got to him.

"Maybe you'd like to tell me where the real Goldmine is?" Naruto asked pleasantly.

A strangled laugh escaped Goldmine's lips. "What are you talking about, Naruto-san? Can't you see that I'm who you're looking for?"

"Oh well, it's not like it matters. I already have someone collecting Goldmine as we speak. So, which member of Oración Seis are you? Your mimicry is excellent," the ninja complimented airily. "I'm tempted to take lessons from you, given how accurate you are at portraying him."

"What are you insinuating here, Naruto-san?" Goldmine narrowed his eyes, adjusting his footing and profile. "This is nonsense. Are you trying to implicate me in something I have no hand in? You are far more suspicious than I am, given your insistence that you have clashed with Oración Seis without any witnesses to back those claims up."

"It appears speaking is not going to do much, although I believe there has to be a limit to the length of your transformation," Naruto declared, stuffing his hands into his pockets. Goldmine tensed, ready to spring into action. "I can tell your magic is dwindling even as we speak. It's quite the short duration for such a nifty spell, so I guess it's fairly useless for me."

Before Goldmine could do anything, half a dozen spiked chains burst out of the ground in a circle around the man. Startled by the lack of notice, he was promptly entangled in the web of metallic chains, the sharp additions on the links cutting deep into his skin. The man grunted, biting back a scream as the serrated teeth of the chains tore his wounds wider with every miniscule shift. Blood flowed down his body in thin streams, soaking his clothes and forming a small puddle at his feet. Magic began draining from him, sucked through the chains and back to Naruto, who hadn't moved an inch.

The restraints fell limply to the ground not seconds later, as a blast of smoke obscured Goldmine. As the cloud dissipated, Naruto smiled thinly at the appearance of a small blue creature. It had a tiny body that floated above the floor, small antennae that protruded from its forehead, and tiny, beady eyes with white pupils. It was dressed in a pair of black shorts, and had a sash running from shoulder to waist. There was no obvious indicator of gender. Naruto was no expert on all the magic in the world, and unfortunately, he didn't recognize it. He could, however, hazard a guess as to its identity.

"You obviously aren't human, and you have a summoner, so I guess you must be a Celestial Spirit," Naruto conjectured, as the blue-skinned spirit backed off slowly, eyes flickering between the stock-still Naruto and the ground where the chains had slithered back down into. "And Oración Seis has a spirit mage, am I right? So that's how you guys do it. Infiltration must be a breeze with such a powerful Spirit at your beck and call. How do you get past the short duration of your abilities though?"

"I won't tell you anything!" it shouted defiantly, before flying off as quickly as it could.

Naruto resisted the urge to snort in derision as the miniature spirit rushed off, no doubt to warn its master. Meanwhile, his clone had brought an unconscious Goldmine to Makarov, and dispelled to inform him of the guild master's safety. Naruto briefly wondered what sort of skills the spirit had as he broke into a sprint, right where he last pegged its summoner to be. It seemed that his arrival was expected, as not two hundred metres into the forest, a woman emerged from the foliage, looking extremely pleased at the sight of Naruto.

She was dressed in an extremely provocative way; a set of feathered wings and skirt, held together by a feathered dress with a v-cut all the way down to her navel. She wore a dark blue ribbon around her head, with bows hanging off the side that covered her ears. She also wore navy blue stockings and gloves that stretched past her elbows, along with sky blue boots with featherings from ankle up. Her silvery-blue hair, cut in a bob, shimmered in the brief sunlight that poked through the canopy, and her two white wing tattoos below her collarbone stood out against her creamy skin. It wasn't hard for Naruto to pin down her identity, not when he knew she was a Celestial Spirit mage, and that there was only one of those in Oración Seis.

"Angel, if I recall correctly," Naruto remarked casually, as he slid to a halt before the beautiful woman. "I suppose you are here on a information-gathering mission for your guild."

"Oh, heavens no," Angel's smiled saccharinely, a wicked juxtaposition to her sardonic tone. "You think too lightly of us, Uzumaki Naruto. Or should I call you Maelstrom-sama, hmm?"

"If not for information, then what?" Naruto asked, crossing his arms. "Why else would you have your spirit mimic Goldmine if not for information? I presume that spirit's mimicry must have some way of absorbing memories, for a five minute transformation after the meeting will otherwise be pointless."

"You are as brilliant as Racer implies, Uzumaki," Angel laughed merrily, unfazed by the threat of Naruto. "You are truly quite the thorn in our side…no, in the side of every single dark guild to have ever existed. To think, you fathomed Gemi's abilities with so little to go upon…and even discovered him before he managed to return to me with valuable information! How dreadfully skilled you are. I suppose that is why the Magic Council relied so much on Maelstrom to bring peace to Fiore."

"If you heard about me from Racer, why do you not run?" Naruto enquired curiously, suspicions about Angel's true mission in Clover Town rising. "I did beat Midnight, who is rumoured to be the strongest member of your guild. You will stand no chance against me if you can't beat someone of Midnight's caliber."

"Well, none of them are really suited to seduction, are they?" Angel smirked as she accentuated her voluptuous bust with a supporting arm. She clasped the elbow of her other arm, making a show of sucking her index finger and moaning sensuously "I'm sure even a man like you can fall victim to the charms of a woman. No man in infallible to the wiles of a seductress."

"You're nowhere close to being as attractive as my subordinate or my girlfriend," Naruto shrugged flippantly; he was far too experienced to let such techniques sway him. Angel snarled as she immediately dropped the act, her hands holding out a key. "You piece of shit! I'll kill you for insulting me! Open, Gate of the Ram! Aries!"

Naruto slipped into a neutral stance, ready for whatever spirit Angel decided to summon. To his utmost surprise, it was a sweet looking girl. The pink-haired spirit looked rather frightened by the prospect of battle, although she was clearly trying to steel herself for the fight ahead. Two brown, curled horns protruded from the sides of her head, and a wool-like strapless dress covered her body, although it was only long enough to reach past her hips. Tan, thigh-high stockings adorned her alabaster legs, and a woolly set of boots covered her feet. A pink wool snood was wrapped around her neck, and she had woolly gloves that stretched all the way up her forearm.

Naruto wasn't about to underestimate the summon of one of the Oración Seis, even if the girl looked completely harmless. It could be a ploy to make Naruto less serious in battle, underestimating the girl and succumbing to a sneak attack of some sort. With that in mind, the blond didn't waste any time, charging forward at the Celestial Spirit. Aries took a step back in fear at the determined, almost manic gaze of her opponent, but hardened her will and raised her hand.

In her palm, a large ball of fluffy wool appeared. As she swung the hand in a wide, horizontal arc, a wave of pink wool exploded in Naruto's direction, encompassing the onrushing blond in its warm and comfortable hold. Despite all his best efforts, Naruto couldn't retain the focus for battle, finding his body relaxing beyond even what he felt when in a state of slumber. The only experience he had that came close to such a state of relaxation would be that recent moment with Mirajane.

Angel cackled tauntingly as Naruto struggled to get out of the wool, denied by the soft fluffy substance that had some amazing adhesive properties normal wool certainly didn't have. Aries didn't let up her attack, seemingly intent on smothering him completely as she continued to toss pink balls of wool at the growing ball of pink, slowly engulfing all of the man. Then, just as his entire torso was enveloped in the substance, leaving only his head exposed, Angel spoke.

"You know, I think Midnight must be getting a little soft if this is how strong you really are," Angel remarked sardonically. "Imagine, defeated by Aries! She's so soft I can beat her with only my fists! Though I suppose for a man so wrapped up in his heroic ideals, she's probably a worse opponent for you than Midnight."

"You…talk too much," Naruto sputtered out, fighting the urge to just drift off to sleep.

"Maybe I do, but that hardly matters anymore now that you're trapped," Angel replied haughtily, a victorious smile perched on her face. "Caelum! Finish him!"

Before Naruto could register the words, such was his deep state of relaxation, a thick beam of light punched right through the pink ball of wool. Aries' warm brown eyes widened in horror as a huge hole was burned right through the wool and what must have been Naruto's torso. Mouth agape, Naruto's horrified stare was desperate as they fell upon Aries, who shied away from the eye contact.

Then, he vanished in a puff of white smoke.

Angel's triumphant grin was immediately wiped off as the ball of wool collapsed into a pile of soft curls, leaving no sign of the blond mage. Rage settled into Angel's features, and she turned to the forest. "Caelum! Flight form! Find that bastard!"

Soft whirling and clicking sounds emerged from within the foliage where the beam had originated. Before long, the Celestial Spirit, now adorned with wings, arrived at Angel's side. The metal sphere was about to flutter up into the sky when something arrowed straight down from above like a meteorite, smashing the flying contraption into the ground violently. Aries gasped at her fellow Spirit's crushing defeat, but before she could react to reach her mistress' side, the Celestial Spirit mage was blown away, smashing painfully into the unyielding trunk of a tree.

Stepping off the crushed remains of Caelum, sparks flickering between broken pieces of metal, Uzumaki Naruto looked like a terrifying merchant of death. A bright blue ball of whirling energies sat prettily in his palm, completely at odds with the sheer power it seemed to possess as it sent Angel flying. He didn't look at all happy with his crushing triumph against Aries' summoner however. Patiently, he stared at the unmoving form of Angel, now seated at the base of the tree limply. Aries took one frightened look at Naruto, but deemed Angel's health more important than hers as the kind-looking Celestial Spirit stumbled over to her mistress with all the finesse of a cute, ditzy and clumsy girl.

As she reached Angel's side, she couldn't help but gawk at the wound. Or rather, the large, spiral bruise on Angel's side that was darkening into visibility. As Aries planted blobs of wool on the wound, trying to give her mistress a small measure of comfort, a puff of smoke greeted her. Angel had disappeared, replaced by a small blue spirit. It looked almost exactly the same as the one that mimicked Goldmine, but wore orange shorts and had its sash slung over the opposite shoulder instead.

"Mini!" Aries cried out, and quickly enveloped the small summon in her comforting pink wool.

"So I was right. A good thing I sent my clone ahead of me," Naruto said aloud, staring intently at the small blue figure cradled in Aries' arms. "Go back to your world, spirit. You'll only get hurt if you stick around."

"I fight for my mistress, and I will protect her if I have to," Aries replied resolutely. "That is the way of Celestial Spirits."

"Very well then. I will have to forcibly send you back like I did your metal friend," Naruto stated calmly, the ball of energy in his hand growing to the size of a basketball. "When I beat her, I'll hand you over to someone who will treat you nicely. You deserve better than Angel."

As the blond man charged forwards, the huge energy ball bristling with power, another voice shouted out. "_Sand Spear!_"

Swift as a bolt of lightning, a powerful lance of sand pierced the mage rushing towards Aries. It punched cleanly through his body, going from one side through to the other at chest level. Aries squeaked as the same man died in front of her for the second time that day, his eyes bulging as the manoeuvre pierced his heart with deadly accuracy. Then, as he did before, the masked mage vanished in a blast of smoke, leaving the area bereft of enemies. Excessive cussing was heard as Angel and Scorpio stepped out into view, the former's features contorted in a rictus of fury.

"That bastard! Just how paranoid is he?!" Angel raged at her inability to kill Naruto. "God damn it! He's just playing with me!"

"Tch. You just got overconfident, Angel," another voice reprimanded mockingly. "Midnight couldn't handle him, and you thought you could? Maybe you _are_ as dumb as you look."

"Fuck off Cobra. I don't see you contributing to that asshole's death," Angel seethed, as three more men appeared before Angel. Aries tried her best to prevent her fear from showing; Angel would punish her severely if she made the proud Oración Seis member look weak in front of her guild. Cobra, the dragon slayer, leaned closer to the pink-haired spirit with a sinister smile. "Oh, isn't she the cute little lamb?"

"Keep your filthy hands to yourself, Cobra," Angel sneered, dismissing all of her spirits. She was strong, but not strong enough to maintain four spirits outside the Celestial World without repercussions. "Now what do we do? Our bait was taken, but he sprung our trap like we were some rank amateurs."

"Sniff him out then. He can't hide from Cubellios or me," Cobra grinned, stroking the smooth scales on the top of the giant snake's head. "There's no way he's going to beat all four of us."

"Remember, beat on him all you want, but he's mine to kill," Midnight threatened his guild members. "Cobra, find him."

"Okay, okay, we got it. You have a hard-on for Maelstrom and you want to murder and maim him. Sheesh," Cobra grumbled at being ordered about. "Just because someone finally got the measure of you, doesn't mean you have to take it out on all of us…"

Before Midnight could punish the dragon slayer for his mockery, however, he was interrupted by a lone throwing knife flying into their midst. Racer stiffened, recognizing the blade immediately. The warning he was about to shout died prematurely on his lips as Maelstrom materialized in the middle of the group, crashing a powerful blow into Racer's stomach. As the _Slowing Magic_ user contorted unnaturally around the fist from the force of the punch, the rest of Oración Seis tried their best to react to the threat. A blast of wind and poison converged on the assaulter, and a storm of sand followed shortly as the three other members of Oración Seis tried to crush Naruto in one hammer blow.

The attacks were easily deflected away from their original paths, following the spin of the powerful gust that swirled around their adversary, leaving the mage untouched by the simultaneous barrage. As the dark poison of Cobra and the blinding sands of Scorpio obscured the blond from view, Midnight lost his patience. Snarling fiercely, he took control of the substances caught up in Naruto's protective dome of wind, and compressed it ruthlessly. Half expecting a loud squelching noise to signal the death of Naruto, they were sorely disappointed to find nothing when Midnight dispersed the poison and sand to see within. All that was left of the blond mage was a large script on the ground where he was last standing.

Even Racer's _Slowing Magic_ would have done absolutely no good against an instantaneous technique, as a large blue cylindrical barrier sprung up around Oración Seis suddenly, trapping them within. Midnight, now fully enraged, attacked the barrier with his _Reflector_ mindlessly. He was denied as the barrier refused to budge, completely unaffected by the attack. The dark-haired mage couldn't wrest control of the energy that comprised the prison either, which prevented him from collapsing the construct. Cubellios hissed loudly, attracting the attention of the other members of the dark guild.

"What is it, Cubellios?" Cobra enquired, following the gaze of his beloved friend.

Stepping out into view outside the barrier was their opponent, looking infuriatingly calm and collected. Midnight howled as his enemy appeared, and tried to impose his will on the air that surrounded Naruto. It failed miserably. The blond mage shook his head as he strolled towards them. "Four of the six. You guys are really going to great lengths to kill me."

"Shut up! We're nowhere near done yet!" Midnight growled, assaulting the blue translucent walls futilely.

Naruto didn't retort that statement. "No, I suppose trapping you like this is nowhere near what a true conclusion to our battle should be like. The barrier is a space-time technique, meaning you are all now effectively trapped in a different dimension from me. You cannot reach me unless you have the ability to bend space-time to your whim and fancy."

"Fuck your barrier!" Midnight slobbered, thumping his fists against the barrier madly. "And fuck you!"

"You look like nothing more than a rabid animal to me now, Midnight," Naruto scorned, though a hint of pity was detectable in his voice. "I shall help you end your derangement then. Permanently."

With a single hand seal, the _fūin_ that the blond had left earlier to create the barrier glowed ominously. Naruto watched silently as a massive pillar of black, scorching fires erupted from his seal, completely filling up the cylindrical barrier with unquenchable flames. He was glad to have found Jiraiya's _Fūka Hōin_ scroll containing Itachi's _Amaterasu_; he couldn't manipulate it directly without a _Mangekyō Sharingan_, but he sure as hell could put in into his seals for more esoteric offensive purposes. Such as the secondary function of his strongest barrier, first created in hopes of luring enemies in, and dying in a suicidal blaze of glory.

Then, the barrier splintered and exploded.

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Makarov Dreyar wasn't too sure what he expected himself to see as he rushed over to the scene of the fight. Goldmine was relatively unharmed, and the man had woken up almost immediately after he was dropped off by one of Naruto's clones. His old teammate urged him to go help the blond mage against Oración Seis; while Naruto was no pushover, even he could be taken by surprise if a fake Goldmine attacked him. He was of an advanced age though, and he sure as hell wasn't skilled enough to hop on roofs like his former guild member.

Having to run all the way to the other side of town to join a pitched battle between Oración Seis and a Wizard Saint was not very high on Makarov's list of things he'd like to do, but he liked the masked brat, and letting him die was not an option. As he approached the forest, a large pillar of translucent blue flickered into existence, before being filled with black fire. Makarov had never seen black flames before, but he'd been alive enough to hear of _God Slayer Magic_. Unfortunately, from Naruto's intelligence, Grimoire Heart supposedly had a fire god slayer in their ranks, or at the very least, a very powerful _Fire Magic_ user who manipulated black fire. If the strongest of the Balam Alliance were in the area too…

Shaking thoughts of unpleasant possibilities aside, Makarov was about to enter the forest when the barrier burst abruptly, the black inferno showering the surrounding forest. As the trees untouched by the actual flames spontaneously combusted from the heat of the fire, Makarov found himself having to keep a distance, just so his face didn't end up melting off his skull. A brilliant white energy gathered in his clenched fists as a lone figure could be seen stumbling out of the fiery blaze towards him. It was impossible to tell if it was friend or foe, with the heat haze and the intense fire drying his eyes out.

Makarov tensed as the person, identified as a man, fell out of the forest with little grace and finesse. Third degree burns covered nearly every exposed inch of skin, and the clothes may as well be individual threads. While he wasn't sure about the looks of any of the Oración Seis members, or if there were more than one around the area for that matter, he was quite sure that man wasn't Naruto. The magical signature was different, and the clothes were all wrong.

As the Fairy Tail guild master prepared to immobilize the potential threat, the man raised a palm at him. Suddenly, Makarov found his clothes pulling him backwards, crashing unceremoniously into the brick walls of the house behind him. His clothes didn't let up, tightening their hold on his body and exerting an increasing amount of bone-breaking force. The venerable Wizard Saint fought the constriction, but before he could raise his finger and fire off something at the unknown enemy, the man was flung bodily aside by a huge gust of wind.

Makarov found his garments loosening to their original state, and he scrambled out of the indentation in the wall and onto his feet to face the person who just helped him. He found the tension in his shoulders slipping away instantly at the sight of a sooty, coughing and smoking, but otherwise unharmed Uzumaki Naruto. The blond was thumping his fist to his chest, spitting out black smoke and embers. It didn't look very pretty, but at least he seemed relatively healthy.

"Makarov. What are you doing here?" Naruto asked hoarsely. "Where's Goldmine?"

"He's safe enough. I thought you needed my help more than he did," the old man answered primly. "Don't give me the excuse of being able to handle it. You clearly didn't expect that explosion, did you?"

"No. I didn't think _Amaterasu_ flames when compressed were strong enough to punch through a fucking _space-time barrier_," Naruto retorted sarcastically, scowling at the minor slight at his abilities. "Black fire is still only just fire, damn it! Midnight got desperate _and_ lucky. Otherwise, I would have turned all four to ashes. Fucking Uchiha and their stupid _Sharingan_ tricks, bending realities one _jutsu_ at a time."

"Four? You were facing four of them?" Makarov gawked, stunned at both the numbers Naruto was facing, and at his nonchalance to the situation.

Naruto flashed him an annoyed glare as he brushed off the dust on his coat. He seemed more bothered by Makarov's line of questioning than the fact that his plan failed, and he just got a face full of black fire trying to cook Oración Seis alive. "Yes, you senile old coot. I said four. I managed to escape with _Hiraishin_, and afterwards I only caught sight of Midnight trying to escape. I haven't seen the rest of them. I don't even know what it's like at the epicenter now."

"Then I'll follow you. You can't fight four of them on your own," Makarov declared sternly.

"No. You have to get back to Fairy Tail," Naruto said, staring back at the flames that were doing their best to engulf the entire mountainside in record time. "They were trying to ambush me. Collecting information was only a secondary objective for Oración Seis here. I don't know what they know about me, so they may have caught wind of my past affiliations to Fairy Tail. As I said, only four of them are here to kill me. There are two that are unaccounted for, one of them being their leader."

"You can't be serious!" Makarov shouted, pointing at the forest blaze. "You nearly died fighting four of them, and now you're rejecting my help? You may be strong, but you're not invincible! Don't be so foolhardy!"

"I may not be, but even if I die, we've just put together a plan to take them down. If I can bring one or two into the grave with me, that's a win in my book," Naruto retorted matter-of-factly. "Fairy Tail is possibly in danger, even getting attacked now. I'll send you back."

As Naruto walked towards Makarov, the man shuffled backwards, holding out a hand imbued with magic to ward off the mage's advance. "Don't be ridiculous! Don't force my hand! I'll knock you out and fight them all myself if I have to!"

"I don't want to live through this battle, just to see Magnolia Town up in flames and Mira dead," the man smiled morosely, before closing the gap between them in the blink of an eye. "Keep them safe for me, old man."

Makarov felt a light touch on his forehead and instinctively shut his eyes, unleashing a wide and blunt blast of light outwards. Something soft was pressed into his palms immediately after, and when Makarov creaked an eye open to see what was happening, he found himself standing on top of the bar table inside Fairy Tail, his small hand resting on Mirajane's left breast. The ivory-haired girl looked more surprised than angered, squeaking as Makarov clenched his fists in exasperation, inadvertently giving Mirajane a painful grope.

"Master!" Mirajane admonished reflexively, swatting the man's hand away. "What happened? Why are you back here? _How_ are you back here? Weren't you supposed to be at Clover Town?"

"What do you think? Who else do you know has the ability to appear and disappear like that?" Makarov growled in ire, palming his forehead. A quick look around the guild hall showed no signs of an attack by Oración Seis; only the curious eyes of his guild focused on him. "I can't even go back in time to help him now, that obstinate fool."

_God damn you and your stupid heroism, Naruto._

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Racer wasn't sure how they managed to survive. He knew how they _tried_ to keep themselves from being roasted by the black blaze, but he was certain they would be dead had they stayed inside that near impregnable barrier for even a second longer. When the barrier exploded, they had been sent careening away, separated by the spreading forest fire. He was dazed from the sudden flight, but no worse for wear. The blond mage groggily rose to his feet, narrowly avoiding the spreading black fire that seemed to cling to every surface like, regardless of flammability. It only served to keep him from getting any more injured; he was already sporting quite a few burns on his face and the loss of his Mohawk.

_I have to find the rest before that bastard does. We need to regroup or we're smoked,_ Racer pondered, as he stumbled towards Clover Town. It was the logical thing for any person to do, leaving the intense forest blaze for somewhere that wasn't on fire. He was sure the first instinct of Cobra, Midnight and Angel was to head away from the flames too. They can fight mages with ease, but they can't fight a fire that was hungrily consuming an entire mountainside of trees.

But that seemed unnecessary only a moment later, as the black fires ceased to spread. A blue energy was blanketing every wisp of the dark flames, encapsulating it and drawing it all towards a single point. Racer had no doubt as to the identity of the man accomplishing such a feat. None of the Oración Seis members who turned up to fight Maelstrom was capable of sucking up the all-consuming and insatiable black inferno like that, and the only man he knew who could manipulate black flames in any way was Zancrow of Grimoire Heart.

_Make that two men now,_ Racer grumbled silently, as he summoned an SE motorcycle that he didn't sacrifice earlier to ward off the fire. He had seen Cobra's pet snake shield the man, and Angel's scorpion summon erect a huge cocoon of sand. He used his motorcycles as a poor shield substitute, and half his magic trying to slow the flames from reaching him, hoping that someone would take down the barrier before they all cooked alive. Midnight, his obsession having turned into lunacy, relied on his reflexive use of _Reflector_ to keep the worst of the fire off him instead of focusing solely on survival. He used that concentration to gather some of that unnatural blaze and punched through the barrier with a bit of difficulty. That shattered the thing, and saved everyone's lives, leaving them sporting burns, singed hair and unsalvageable clothes.

Midnight, from what Racer had seen before they were all thrown in different directions, looked the worst off given his lack of self-preservation in that moment. Racer himself was pretty okay, all things considered; his clothes were designed to keep him safe from vehicular fires and while the black fire was far more deadly, the flame-retardant clothing helped. His hair being burned to ashes was a foregone conclusion, but his shades kept his eyes from the worst of the heat. As Racer rode closer to the man sucking up the black fires and saving the town from getting engulfed like the forest, he spotted Angel on the warpath. He halted his bike, and allowed the woman to catch up. After all, there was safety in numbers against a foe of Maelstrom's magnitude; he didn't actually care about any of his guild mates' wellbeing at all.

The woman was in a decent shape like him, if the red burn marks on her pale skin were any indication. Sand made for a good shield it seemed, if the black fires only left first degree burns on her extremely exposed body. Said body was even more exposed now, with the entire top half of her revealing dress gone, ostensibly burned to nothing. The wings were not present, likely to have been lost when the fire claimed the thin material of her dress. All that was left protecting her modesty was the charred feathered skirt she was left with. Racer knew of her propensity to flaunt her assets, but he didn't think she would enjoy baring her entire torso to the world, especially when her formerly perfect skin was now blotted with angry red marks.

"That fucker!" Angel screamed furiously, as she stomped towards Racer with murderous intent. He tried his best not to stare at her exposed chest. "How the fuck is he beating us so easily?"

"He's not like any other legal mage," Racer muttered, allowing Angel to straddle his bike behind him as they raced in the direction where the captured flames were all headed. "He doesn't fight clean, he doesn't fight with mercy, he doesn't fight with honour. He's out to kill us from the first second. It's like fighting another one of us instead of a legal mage."

Angel didn't say another word, fuming silently behind the speed maniac. As the bike burst out of the smouldering forest with a loud roar, they found themselves a fair distance away from what looked like a pitched battle. Angel smirked as she observed the fight, sliding off Racer's bike. "Well, looks like someone just went off the deep end. His pet snake protected him, didn't it?"

"If that reptile got hurt, Cobra gets mad," Racer nodded in assent. "But that's not an angry Cobra, it's a crazed Cobra. That's as bad as Midnight going nuts right when Maelstrom popped out of nowhere. The snake's probably dead or on the way there for Cobra to get this mad."

And indeed, it seemed as though they didn't even need to interfere at all. Cobra, with body armour composed of a sickly purple and black poison, was hammering away at their adversary, screaming death threats and interspersing it with incoherent babbling. His arms were covered in reptilian scales, and with every wild slash they spewed out large amounts of poison that lingered in the air, adding to the vast quantity that was already hovering around the maniacal Cobra. The poison, seemingly sentient, lashed out at the blond mage with arcing lances that smashed rather than pierced, carving out deep trenches in the ground with every missed strike at Cobra's opponent.

Maelstrom seemed to be rather bemused by the berserk Cobra, and was being pushed back from the sheer force of nature that Cobra had become. His focus was entirely on dodging the man's wild and unpredictable attacks, with no room for counterattack whatsoever. But even as Cobra triumphantly scored a glancing blow across the man's arm, ripping the bracer off and doubtlessly poisoning him, his efforts to kill Maelstrom were stymied by Midnight, who charged into the scene heedlessly. A spiraling blast of air blew the blond mage away violently, but most crucially, away from Cobra and indeed, everyone's attack range. The blond man's body smashed through several brick walls directly behind him, flying out of their view.

With that reckless attack, Maelstrom suddenly became the least of their concerns as Cobra decided Midnight needed a good bashing for sending his opponent flying out of his grasp. Midnight obliged his fellow guild member as they began to rip into each other quite literally. Even Angel, who was not the most astute of mages, knew that having an internal conflict would be detrimental for their mission against Uzumaki Naruto. But any intervention was unnecessary as their common enemy stepped out into view, brushing off dust from his coat. He only looked mildly annoyed at having been propelled through a couple of walls.

As the Oración Seis members readied themselves for another go, the man scoffed in pity. "You guys don't even know how expendable you are. This battle is over. I got better things to do than get caught up here."

Then, he disappeared in a puff of smoke.

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Poison. It was something Naruto never paid any heed to, not when Kurama had been around. Even after he reached Earthland, there just weren't enough devious enemies that utilized poison for him to be overly concerned about that particular tactic. Mages liked big and flashy spells that blew the opponents away. Poison was too difficult an art to master compared to magic spells that were just as efficient at fighting and sometimes killing, even if they were far from stealthy. It was just his luck Cobra was a poison dragon slayer, and Naruto was obviously not going to be immune to his poison.

He didn't expect himself to get scratched at all. In an even fight with the dragon slayer, Naruto was pretty confident he would have been superior at close combat. However, a crazed Cobra taking Naruto by surprise, and somehow reading all his moves before he even put them into action was impossible to avoid. He couldn't even get into _Sennin Mōdo_ to toughen his skin and prevent the exact problem that was currently afflicting him. Every time he tried to, Cobra would force him to some crazy manoeuvre that took his utmost concentration. He didn't need a lot of focus to mould sage chakra in Earthland, but he still needed _some_.

The blond man could already feel the magical poison coursing through his veins from the light scratch on his arm. It wasn't the fastest acting poison ever, given Naruto still had his faculties mostly intact, but it was definitely messing with his chakra control. He surmised that it was probably catered towards disrupting an enemy mage's ability to fight back. The fact that it was burning fiercely as it spread its way up his arm hinted that there was some element of corrosion in there too. If not for his natural Uzumaki vitality, he might already be six feet under.

As he lay in the ruins of a poor civilian's thankfully empty home, he took the breather to try and think through the situation. It was making less and less sense with every passing minute. The seal on the necklace he gave to Mirajane had not reacted to any changing levels of Eternano that would indicate combat, which told Naruto that Fairy Tail was likely safe. If Oración Seis was truly targeting him, the most reliable contingency plan would be to threaten his loved ones with death. Was the leader just indulging Midnight and letting him get back at Naruto? Was the excuse of hunting him merely a red herring, to divert attention from another mage who was collecting information surreptitiously, under the cover of battle?

The poison disrupting his motor functions and higher-level thinking sure wasn't helping him puzzle things out. As his head throbbed with a near blinding headache, he struggled to push himself out of the hole in the wall that had finally ended his momentum. Swaying dizzily, he steadied himself with a hand on a dusty couch. He wondered how he was going to fight four Oración Seis members now, especially if they were all still as combat ready as Cobra and Midnight seemed to be.

_I'm going to need Wendy to heal me at this rate. Porlyusica is more skilled, but her methods take too long,_ Naruto thought wryly, as he tried to stumble his way back to the fight. His legs gave out before he even reached the next hole in the wall, leaving him panting shallowly in the middle of someone else's living room, his face buried in the carpet that was now more brick dust than soft fabric. _I guess they will really need to bring Wendy along when they fight Oración Seis…THAT'S IT! WENDY!_

The sudden realization gave Naruto a burst of energy, as he formed a _Kage Bunshin_. There was no sense letting the four Oración Seis members take apart the entire town in their search for him. The doppelganger was fortunately in far better shape than his creator, and bounded off through the line of holes to confront his adversaries and direct them away from Clover Town. With a good bit more focus than he would usually need to muster up for a _Hiraishin no Jutsu_, he pinpointed Wendy's tag amongst the thousands he had all over Fiore. With a grim smile and a quick prayer, the prostrate man vanished from his spot on the ground.

He thanked his father and mother profusely for their genes as his superior reflexes found him reacting to the situation faster than his enemies did. With a quick touch and an application of chakra, the trussed up Wendy was taken out of her kidnapper's grip before the man had a chance to express his surprise. Naruto was about to make the jump himself, but was interrupted when a staff smashed into his midsection. His vision went completely white as the man administered another crushing strike to his jaw, sending the blond man careening away. His body crashing into something far more solid than he, the blond _shinobi_ felt the rough bark of a tree scrapping against his back as he slid to a stop at the base of the trunk.

The blurry vision of his poisoned state returned soon enough, and seated powerlessly at the foot of a large tree, with a dark-skinned, tattooed man looming over his collapsed form was not where Naruto envisioned his final moments to be. The metallic taste of blood in his mouth was unfamiliar after all these years of comprehensively beating his opponents, but in spite of his impending death, Naruto couldn't help but feel the corners of his lips tugging upwards.

"Maelstrom, I presume," a gravelly voice addressed him.

"Oración Seis," Naruto coughed weakly, copious amounts of blood drenching his mask.

The man's voice was rather flat and neutral, but Naruto could easily detect a hint of ire and displeasure. "That is the name of my guild, yes. My name, however, is Brain, while my colleague over here is called Hoteye. You don't seem to have come off so well against the rest of my guild. Although I must say, I'm quite impressed. How did you get here from Clover so quickly?"

"Trade secret," the blond mage replied cheekily, hacking out another gob of blood. "You are impressive too."

"How else do you think a guild of six holds its own against Tartaros and Grimoire Heart?" Brain remarked lightly. "You figured things out a bit late, but still far too quick for my tastes. How did you know I was after the dragon slayer in your guild?"

"Jellal is dead. If you could get what you wanted from his body, you would have already," Naruto gasped, the pain wracking his body excruciating. "You need him alive and breathing. Wendy can revive him. Attacking me is a smokescreen, killing me a bonus."

"Bravo! A truly brilliant man," Brain complimented. "However, your meddlesome ways will have to end here. It's a pity for you to face me in such a terrible state. I think my other self would have loved to test me against you. I don't suppose you have some method of haunting the dark guilds after death?"

"No," Naruto whispered. "But I can do this."

He vanished into thin air.


	18. Chapter 17: Reunion

Author's notes now at the bottom.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto or Fairy Tail.

* * *

**Chapter 17: Reunion (X784)**

About a decade had past since Naruto last found himself lying in a bed for patients. He supposed he ought to feel grateful that he even received treatment. He doubted he was the most welcomed person around, even if he could feel familiar and friendly presences by his bed at the moment. Once he was pretty sure there weren't any hostiles hovering over his bed, ready to smother him to death, he stopped feigning sleep and opened his eyes. A smirking fox was the first face to greet him. Kurama, lying on his chest, gave him a lazy wave and casual salutations.

"Yo."

Naruto rolled his eyes at the nonchalant greeting. "That's all you can come up with?"

"Well, you aren't my partner anymore. Why do I have to make an effort when greeting you?" the fox drawled. "The only reason why I'm here is 'cause the pretty chicks are. Damn, but you are one popular son of a bitch, Naruto."

The blond man snorted amusedly, before tilting his head sideways to gaze out of the windows at the dark, twinkling night sky. "How long was I out?"

"About two days I think. That little girl is pretty darn good, although she says she couldn't get all the poison out," Kurama replied, shifting slightly atop the sheets covering Naruto. "The fractured jaw and ribs were done up rather easily, but even so, she says you ought to take it easy for a while."

Naruto was about to spit out a wry retort, before he stowed his tongue. _No big Kurama, no insane healing rates. Just a superhuman constitution…_ "We'll see. There are more important things afoot than my health right now. Although I suppose that's not what they will think, eh?"

Kurama flashed him a look of exasperation, as fox and man turned their heads to Naruto's right, where three girls were asleep in side-by-side seats facing his bed. Cana's limbs were sprawled in all directions as she snored loudly, the heavy drinker half an inch from sliding off her chair and falling painfully on her butt. Mirajane was more reserved in her sleeping posture, her head drooped down and hands clasped in her lap. Finally, little Wendy Marvell was curled up in the fetal position on her seat, the diminutive girl looking uncomfortable sleeping on the hard chair.

"They've been here long?" Naruto queried. Kurama nodded, before stretching the appendages that were tucked under his body for a while. "They stayed over the past two nights. You couldn't pry them away from your bed with a crowbar."

A warm smile spread across Naruto's face. Even if he were still wearing a mask over his features, Kurama would have noticed his contented expression. "Tch. You know, you don't have to act tough all the time. You definitely miss Fairy Tail like hell."

"Doesn't mean that I should be here. The hole that I dug is too big. And there's too much at stake now," Naruto shook his head gently. "Oración Seis is probably out for my blood. I just gave them a big middle finger by escaping the four of them at Clover, and getting Wendy away from Brain. I have no clue where Grimoire Heart is and what they're doing, and Tartaros has been getting quieter and quieter ever since I turned Trinity Raven. They are definitely up to something, and with my luck when it comes to trouble, it might just involve me."

"So what? It's not like they've never seen danger before," Kurama riposted.

"But all three of the Balam Alliance? If they make a concerted effort at my life, with all their subordinate guilds, no amount of determination and conviction is going to pull Fairy Tail through a battle of that proportion," Naruto pointed out dryly. "As much faith as I have in the strength of Fairy Tail, I'm realistic about the odds they'll face. It's not pretty."

"Fine. Suit yourself. But make Mira cry again, and you'll be sorry," Kurama threatened, baring his teeth.

"Wish you were that protective of me back when you were my partner," Naruto grumbled, scratching behind Kurama's ears absentmindedly. It was a habit the fox thoroughly enjoyed, as evidenced by the panting and tail thumping. "What's the response from everyone else like?"

"You mean when the old man, the little girl and you suddenly popped out of nowhere in front of Mira, one after the other?" Kurama clarified, tongue lolling out of his jaw. "Well, Erza was around, so she kept everyone off your back while you got your sorry, bleeding ass carried here by Cana and Mira. Natsu's been glaring holes at the door, and Elfman's not too happy his neechan is cooped up here with you. There were all sorts of responses, but nothing really positive but from girls and Makarov. Kami, but you are one popular dude, despite being such a douche."

"I seem to recall you mentioning that, yes," the blond mage remarked wryly.

The snappy reply Kurama had on his tongue was banished when Naruto's fingers hit a sweet spot, and the canine melted into a puddle of bliss. The lull lasted only as long as Cana's sleep, however, as the woman was finally introduced to the floor by gravity. With a loud thud, the _Card Magic_ user found herself rubbing her sore bum, while blinking wearily at Mira and Wendy, both of whom were jolted awake by Cana's fall. She smiled blearily at her fellow visitors, before a soft thumping noise drew her attention. Twisting her head to the source of the sound, she found a crimson fox in a half-comatose state of nirvana, and Naruto gazing at her undignified form with unconcealed amusement.

"I'll leave you two to it," Mirajane yawned, a sweet smile blossoming on her lips as she guided a sleepy Wendy out of the medical room of the guild hall. Kurama retrieved his wits when Naruto slacked off a little in his ministrations, and slunk away after Mira, no doubt to get some quality cuddling. That left Cana and Naruto in the ward, along with an awkward silence draped over the two.

"So…you're awake," Cana began lamely, scratching her cheek anxiously as she stood up.

"And I'm sorry," Naruto apologised contritely. "For not telling you everything. For hiding things that you and everyone else had a right to know."

"You were doing it to protect us, right?" Cana commented airily, as if the betrayal of trust didn't matter much to her. "You were being more of a dick to Mira anyway. I'm cool."

Naruto sighed, knowing that the headstrong girl was just putting up airs. "You don't have to pretend for me. I know as well as anyone that some of the things I did were quite despicable. I suppose Mira told you some things to try and ease the hatred or something?"

"She didn't need to," Cana huffed indignantly. "I still trust you, even if you have been an ass. You just have this stupidly convoluted way of thinking. You never meant any real harm to us. You always mean well."

"That's a lot of faith to put into a man who has been lying to you for the last decade," Naruto stated candidly.

"Enough of your cheap excuses. You don't get to run away from your duty to Fairy Tail, to Mira, and to me," Cana crossed her arms stiffly. "If you think you can just escape and go gallivanting around the world without taking responsibility for your actions, you are sorely mistaken."

"I would never think like that," Naruto frowned.

"Well, you better not. You owe all of us for the stunts you pulled," Cana grunted, appearing appeased. "Now, that little girl, Wendy. She told us you joined Cait Shelter. What's that all about?"

"Oración Seis," Naruto answered grimly, eliciting a startled gasp from Cana. "Will you believe me when I say I have reasons for joining Cait Shelter and not returning immediately to Fairy Tail?"

"I know why you don't want to come back yet. Mira told me," the buxom brunette said. "But Oración Seis? Cait Shelter? What on earth do they have in common?"

"More than most know," the ninja sighed miserably. "I…I don't want to lie anymore, but I don't want to spread this if I can avoid it. The truth…is not always pleasant, and I don't think we need that sort of emotional turmoil hanging over our heads when Oración Seis is still at large."

"This involves Wendy, doesn't it?" Cana demanded.

Naruto nodded hesitantly. "Sharp of you. I don't want her to be troubled, and I don't want anyone else to feel conflicted because they know the truth but can't inform her."

"You don't always have to be the hero carrying the burden by yourself, you know," Cana muttered. "We're not stupid or weak. We can handle ourselves."

"It's not that I don't trust others with the truth," Naruto murmured, gazing down at his open palm. "Every world has its seedy underside, including this one. I've seen the filth, waded in it, and…it's impossible to come out clean afterwards. I'd never willingly let anyone else dirty their hands the way I did."

"And you think we don't feel the same way for you? Mira told me everything," Cana shot back. "How messed up you've been all these years. Heck, even before you came to Fairy Tail. Do you think we'll be happy just sitting around and letting you do crap for our sakes? If you don't like the idea of seeing us get our hands dirty, how do you think it makes us feel when we see _you_ breaking down because you've been doing all these things for us?"

Naruto protested defensively. "I can cope-"

"And we won't feel any less guilty about it then?" Cana interrupted hotly. "You can be so stupid at times, you know?"

"I…" Naruto started, only to falter.

"Ten years ago, I got myself a big brother who kept me safe, who taught me cool tricks, who chased all the boys away, all the while thinking he's managed to hide that particular fact from his little sister," Cana said, tears brimming in her soft brown orbs. "If I have to fight Oración Seis and the whole world to get my brother back, so he can mess up my hair and drink me under the table and tuck me in even though that's bloody embarrassing, I will."

"Cana…" Naruto whispered, smiling softly. "Thank you."

The brown-haired woman let out a choked sob as she dived at Naruto, arms wrapped tightly around the man's waist. Naruto stroked her hair softly, barely able to keep his tears from flowing either. Brother and sister stayed that way for a while, neither willing to let go and allow the bridged gap between them to widen again. Even as Cana's tears ebbed and abated, she refused to budge, enjoying the feeling of Naruto running his fingers through her tresses. It was something she grew out of years ago, citing embarrassment. But now, she immersed herself in the familial warmth of having her older brother by her side, treating her like a kid once more.

And all seemed right with the world.

8888888888888888

"I think you're enjoying this 'enforced bed rest' thing a bit too much," Makarov quipped, as he hopped into the visitor chair beside Naruto's bed. "You are clearly too tenacious to still be indisposed."

The blond man paused in his motions, before shrugging and closing his open mouth around the spoon that Mirajane was feeding him with. Mirajane giggled at Makarov's envious expression, before making a show of it, blowing ever so gently across the surface of another spoonful of stew before feeding it to Naruto. The blond joined in on the act, exaggerating the taste with a loud, satisfied sigh and a burp for good measure. Grumbling under his breath, Makarov folded his arms petulantly as Naruto burst out into laughter, before patting the diminutive man on his balding head.

"There, there," Naruto teased, his tone patronizing. "You'll find your destined one eventually."

Smacking away the blond ninja's hand, Makarov glared at his former guild member with little heat. Naruto chuckled again, as Mira put the empty dishes aside. The ivory-haired woman, seated facing Naruto, shifted so that she was now leaning against her lover's body, legs curled up beside his. Naruto found it quite natural to wrap his arm around her waist, pulling the woman closer. Mirajane leaned her head on Naruto's shoulder, a tinge of pink staining her cheeks. It was the very picture of loving domesticity, but all three mages in the room knew that plenty of obstacles still stood in the way of a proper, fulfilling relationship.

"So, brat, what's the story behind Wendy?" Makarov began, leaning back into the wooden chair. "She's fitting in well, but she's one of Roubaul's. So are you now, actually."

"It'll be good for her to make friends here. From the way things are going, this is most likely her next guild," Naruto remarked cryptically, before shaking his head. "How much do you think you need to know, old man? Because there's a lot more than meets the eye, and plenty of it is better off revealed at a later time."

"You are such a frustrating person to work with, you know?" Makarov huffed, drawing his pipe and packing it with tobacco. "Even more aggravating than Natsu's collateral damage sometimes."

"This isn't about my paranoia, Makarov," Naruto stated seriously, his use of the guild master's name causing Makarov to cock an eyebrow. "I told Cana this already, when we had our chat. Some of this information could impact negatively on Wendy if we let it slip carelessly."

"How much worse can it get? She's clearly a target for Oración Seis," Makarov remarked, lighting the fragrant leaves and taking a puff.

Mirajane gasped, clasping her hands over her mouth. "A target for Oración Seis? Is that why you brought her to Fairy Tail?"

"Perceptive old man," Naruto groused, before nodding. "Yea. They were kidnapping her, and I made the connection only just in time I think. Any later, and I might not have made it out of Clover, let alone rescue her."

"So you know why she's being targeted then?" Makarov enquired.

Naruto nodded sharply. "I only had a theory, but Brain, their leader, confirmed it when I rescued Wendy. According to Racer, Oración Seis wanted Jellal's body for his knowledge. If they can extract that information from a corpse, they could have gone ahead with their plan without trying to capture Wendy. Wendy can probably revive him, which is why they were taking her. They need him alive and awake."

"But he's dead, isn't he? How can you resurrect a person?" Mirajane pointed out. "I don't think Wendy's that powerful, even if she's a dragon slayer."

"She told you guys that?" Naruto queried rhetorically. "Oh well, not like it matters. It could be that Jellal is only in a coma. There was never any confirmation that he actually died in the wake of the whole Tower of Heaven thing. Whatever the case may be, Oración Seis thinks Wendy can heal Jellal, and that's all we need to know."

"What is it their goal then?" Mirajane questioned.

Makarov screwed the pipe in the corner of his mouth, shaking his head slowly. "_Nirvana_, the ancient magic that can flip a person's intentions from good to bad and vice versa. They plan on using it to sow chaos in Fiore. At least, that's our conjecture from what little information we have on them."

"I wish I could have infiltrated them, but six is too small a group to join without suspicion," Naruto wrinkled his nose. "Their subordinate guilds know little. They are only made aware of certain things when they need to complete tasks for their higher-ups. It's incredibly frustrating. Grimoire Heart is the same, only because they are impossible to find. I would praise them for their elusiveness if I weren't so irked by my failure."

"You didn't fail at all. Don't think like that," Mirajane admonished Naruto mildly. "I'd rather you stay a legal, law-abiding Wizard Saint than sneak around and having to do the dirty work of dark guilds just to get information on them."

"Even if Mira has the right idea about your future endeavours, the lack of information is rather troubling when the fate of the world is in the balance," Makarov commented. "We can only react to their actions, and that's going to ask for a lot of faith in the people we send to fight them. Their response to every move by Oración Seis must be impeccable."

"Which is why I wanted a preemptive attack on Oración Seis before they had the chance to initiate whatever plot they have," Naruto said. "But that's a bust now."

"How so?" his fellow Wizard Saint asked.

"Goldmine was ambushed by a Celestial Spirit, which has excellent mimicry abilities and possibly information gathering abilities too," Naruto explained. "I think it's safe to assume that Oración Seis knows of the plan that we hashed out at the meeting. It could be quite disastrous if everything went as planned though, given they wanted Wendy and we would be putting her in the line of fire. That's a silver lining I suppose."

"But that's still a big problem," Makarov cursed. "Do you have any ideas?"

"I'm as stumped for answers as you are," Naruto professed, shaking his head. "The alliance is set, and changing the parameters of the mission will be difficult now. And besides denying Oración Seis what they want, I think we should also make the effort to destroy _Nirvana_ once and for all."

"That's easier said than done," the older man scoffed.

"That's true. We also don't have a way to track them down now. If Brain is as smart as his name suggests, he won't be sticking around Waas Forest," Naruto sighed in frustration. Mirajane took his loose hand and gave it a comforting squeeze, earning a small smile from her boyfriend. "I didn't tag anyone from Oración Seis, and now that they know that I know they're after Wendy, they have the upper hand too."

"How does that work?" Mirajane questioned curiously.

"They know that most likely, we'll be splitting our focus between protecting Wendy from their clutches, and attacking them. That's one advantage. They can use Wendy as a distraction, by trying to kidnap her, but in actuality, they are getting Jellal revived by another healer capable of doing so," Naruto postulated somberly. "They can play all sorts of mind games with us if they wish to do so. They can adjust their plans according to what information we have on them, and we wouldn't be any wiser. Whoever sees the entire picture better has better odds of attaining victory."

"I never saw things that way before," Mirajane said, a tad awed. "But will they see things the way you do?"

"I'll rather overestimate their tactical nous than assume that they're brawn over brains," Naruto stated, frowning. "It all sounds like I'm letting my imagination run wild, but now that Brain knows I'm good enough to figure out his tactics, he'll be far more careful. I can't even be sure I got the whole scenario right at this point. The attack on me seemed unnecessary, since they kidnapped Wendy when I was far away in Clover. Was he out to get me? Was it all a distraction like he implied? Was Brain really looking for information like I first assumed, but sent four of them just in case a fight broke out?"

"I think you're reading too much into this," Makarov piped up, dubious.

"Maybe. But what we can do is to try and spring a surprise on them," Naruto said slowly. "Brain will make preparations for what he expects us to do. We'll just do something so incredulous he'll never expect it."

"If he's as intelligent as you imply, won't he be wary of such a tactic?" Mirajane chimed in.

"I suppose. I don't know enough about him to predict his movements and thought processes, but he already knows snippets of me from my Maelstrom persona and the two fights I've had with his guild," Naruto grunted. "This situation is turning into my worst nightmare."

"We can always wing it," Makarov muttered unconvincingly. "But that's full of risks."

"Risk is only risk when you don't know how to manipulate it to your advantage," Naruto remarked. "But in this case, I don't think there's a lot of room of error to play a game of brinkmanship, and those odds don't look good in the first place either."

"That doesn't leave us with a lot of options, does it?" Makarov heaved a sigh. "I'm terrible at chess, so someone will have to pick up the strategic slack here."

"I've been mulling over a plan, but it's going to sound somewhat ghastly," Naruto mumbled, scratching the back of his head nervously.

"Does this involve a very cruel yet logical way of doing Oración Seis in? Because at this point, even I'm willing to adjust my moral compass a little," Makarov admitted shamefacedly.

"Wendy is key to all this. She's an excellent support mage, and she's a helpful little girl, so she'll definitely want to partake in the fight," Naruto said. "Instead of keeping her somewhere we think is safe, we let her come with us. Exposed and in the open, she'll look like an excellent target, luring Oración Seis straight to us."

"That's horrible!" Mirajane pinched the man's thigh. It didn't hurt him physically, but her disapproving tone made the man shrink a little. "How can you suggest we let a little girl be bait for one of the Balam Alliance?"

"It's the only idea I could come up with to engage Oración Seis on our terms," Naruto muttered. "And we'll all be there to protect her."

"That's still way too risky for Wendy," Mirajane chided peevishly.

"No, they won't hurt her. They need her for healing Jellal," Naruto countered, shaking his head. "How about this? As a backup plan, in case Wendy does get captured, I place a _Hiraishin_ marker on her. That way she'll only be a nanosecond away from my side."

"That doesn't solve the issue completely. What if you are involved in battle and can't teleport her to your side safely?" Makarov prodded. "And what if she's forced to heal Jellal before you get her back?"

"No worries, I can have a semi-permanent clone positioned somewhere safe. _Hiraishin_ has no range limitations, only size and complexity issues in Earthland," Naruto smiled, before his cerulean eyes lit up. "That's it! I can give Wendy a modified _Hiraishin_ tag like Mira's necklace, and let her put it on Jellal's body if she gets kidnapped. When she uses her magic to try and heal Jellal, I'll be informed and I can take the two of them out of Oración Seis' clutches. That will deny them their healer and the key to _Nirvana_."

"That's…that's quite ingenious," Makarov conceded, scratching his chin. "Using their target as the lynchpin in our plan…especially when they'll expect you to be key in the fight instead."

"I still don't approve of this," Mirajane huffed, crossing her arms under her sizeable bust. "It's not fair to Wendy, to ask her to run straight into the line of fire. Surely there's a better plan?"

"I'll try and think of something, but no guarantees," Naruto assured, before muttering. "She won't be harmed if she's needed for healing Jellal anyway…"

"Oh hush, you. Stop trying to justify your cold and heartless plans," Mirajane pinched his leg once more, eliciting a wince. "Try and think about other people's feelings when you push and manipulate people around like pawns on a chess board, okay?"

"Or we could wing it and hope for the best? Erza ought to be able to keep everyone in line so we can do a loose briefing or something," Naruto offered feebly.

"Well, I'm glad someone has the mental strength and ability to become the moral authority for our wayward deviant here," Makarov grinned, as Mirajane shot her boyfriend an exasperated glare. "But I'm going out to quell the noise. Natsu's getting feisty over your convalescence here. I think Wendy also wants to speak to you about something."

"That's fine, I need to talk to her about Jellal as well," Naruto acquiesced, before turning to Mirajane. "Mira…if you explain the plan to Wendy and she accepts it, will you be more…agreeable to it?"

"What?" Mirajane blinked in puzzlement, having not expected that.

"Well, she's a mage in her own right, and I think making decisions for her with regards to her safety is tantamount to disrespecting her skills," Naruto said solemnly, making sure not to let any hint of anxiety show. "If she believes in her strength and ability to hold her wits together under the duress of kidnap and potential torture, I think we should have the same faith in her. Don't you agree?"

"I…uh…" Mirajane stuttered, unable to form a suitable response to that.

Makarov cackled, hopping off his chair as he trotted towards the door. "I thought you might have ended up like every other poor married sucker, but it seems your glib tongue is going to buy you some reprieve, maybe even your own rights! Sit tight, I'm off to get Wendy."

8888888888888888

As the Wizard Saint departed from the medical ward, Mirajane punched her blond lover in the shoulder. "That wasn't fair."

"Sorry, but I learnt that playing fair just gave your enemies an advantage," Naruto shrugged, a wry smile on his lips. "And I learnt that smooth talking makes loose tongues wag even more. All that experience chatting up men really adds to my persuasiveness."

"I'm sorry, but I think I must have heard wrongly," Mirajane pinched herself this time. "But did you say chatting up _men_?"

"I use _Transformation_, and pretend to be a hot blonde chick with scanty clothes and loose loins," Naruto answered nonchalantly. "The cleavage usually keeps them way too distracted to wonder why a hot chick will be chatting them up in the first place. For some, I even throw in a show where she dumps a well-dressed, rich-looking man, to boost their egos and make them talk even more. Occasionally, I play hard to get. Those dark guild types love getting their jollies off accosting girls who are less…willing to entertain them."

Mirajane looked a little green. "I…I didn't think you'd go that far for information."

"Knowledge is power," Naruto replied blithely. "My master built his spy network on brothels. The bed is far better than alcohol for extracting vital information. But prostitution is non-existent in Fiore, so bars and taverns are my next best option."

"_His_ spy network? Then how…"

"Oh, no, he doesn't pose as a prostitute. He enjoys their services," Naruto laughed, a fond smile tugging at his lips. "I was only twelve when we went around the world to train. He could always be found visiting brothels and bars, or peeking on ladies in the hot springs. I would then find him and criticize him for his perversions loudly, and get him beaten up. I never understood his methods until long after he died. But even so, I think he secretly enjoyed having me disturb his…research, as he calls it. He was the closest thing to a father for me."

"What happened to him?" Mirajane asked inquisitively.

"He died trying to get information on an organization after my life. Killed by his old students whom he thought were dead, no less," Naruto murmured. "Even when he was about to croak, he still managed to send back vital intelligence."

"I'm sorry," the ivory-haired woman whispered sympathetically.

"He passed away as a hero. I think he would have been glad to die in such an apt manner for a spymaster, even if it wasn't in a blaze of glory. He didn't die meaninglessly either. There's nothing to be sorry for," Naruto smiled wistfully. "We live hard and die early. We learn to respect sacrifices and move on. That's just how it was for us. In any case, he was fifty-three years old before dying. That's mighty impressive when average life expectancy for ninja is probably closer to thirty-five."

"I want to know more about your past, but the more you reveal, the more ghoulish it all seems," Mirajane mumbled. "I don't want to dig up more unpleasant memories."

"It's fine with me. I have to face and accept my past eventually," the blond _shinobi_ said softly. "If it gets too unpleasant, I'll always have you here to cheer me up."

"When did you get so comfortable with this relationship thing, anyway?" Mirajane asked, seeing the chance to move away from the dreary subject. "I distinctly recall you being quite disconcerted by the idea just a couple of days ago. Have you been…practicing somewhere? Are you cheating on me?"

"Where do you keep getting such ludicrous id…I mean, no, of course not!" Naruto grumbled, before self-preservation instincts kicked in, and he quickly denied the claims. His voice was then filled with parts nostalgia and apprehensiveness. "I just tried to channel the suave characters in my master's books. To be honest, I'm scared stiff that I might end up doing something stupid or too bold and ruin things between us."

"That's not going to happen," Mirajane declared firmly. "If you do something stupid, I'll just have to knock sense back into you. I deal with knuckleheads like Natsu and Gray all the time. You aren't getting rid of me so easily, Naruto."

"And if I get too bold?" Naruto quirked an eyebrow.

Mirajane's face flushed crimson, before she quickly looked away, staring pointedly out the window. "W-We'll see if I-I'm ready then."

Before Naruto could coax and pry further, a soft voice squeaked out. "A-Am I interrupting anything?"

"Not at all," Naruto smiled warmly at the petite girl poking her head through the door. "Come on in, Wendy."

A look of relief crossed the thoughtful girl's face as she cautiously closed the door, before promptly tripping over nothing on the way to Naruto's bedside. She thanked Mirajane profusely as the woman rushed over to help her up, and sat down meekly in the visitor's chair. "Erm…Makarov-sama said you wanted to talk to me?"

"Yea. If you don't mind, can you tell me what happened when Brain tried to kidnap you?" Naruto asked benignly.

"W-Well, I was with Carla on the way back to Cait Shelter from a job when they approached us," Wendy recounted nervously. "We…we weren't strong enough to fight them, and the white-haired man threatened to kill Carla. So I let the tall man tie me up and take me away. Is Carla alright?"

"I don't know, actually," Naruto replied shamefacedly. "You were the priority and the rest…well, I'm still in bed. Don't worry, Carla's a smart cat. She'll be fine, probably worrying about you back at Cait Shelter."

"I hope so," Wendy mumbled unsurely.

"Now, Wendy, do you know why I went for that guild masters' meeting?" Naruto queried.

The girl nodded. "I heard from Master that it was about dark guilds."

"Yes, well, it's about Oración Seis in particular. Those two men that tried to take you, they are from that guild," Naruto elaborated. "The thing is, they are trying to get you to heal a certain someone for them, because that person has some information that they want."

"M-Me?" Wendy recoiled in horror.

"It's because you're a fine mage and a brilliant healer," Naruto complimented, patting the petite dragon slayer's head affectionately. "I don't know how much they know about you, so I am not clear about the methods they will use to try and…persuade you to heal the man. What I wanted to inform you about is the identity of the man they want you to heal."

"I-Is that important for me to know?" Wendy enquired. "I won't heal him, I promise."

"You might, if you didn't know this following piece of information," Naruto said sternly. "He is Jellal Fernandes."

"J-Jellal?" Wendy echoed, before looking downcast. "I…I heard of all the bad things he did, but I don't want to believe it…he was so nice to me…"

"Don't worry, Wendy, the Jellal you know is different from the Jellal who did all those bad things," Naruto assured, to Wendy's confusion.

"But they have the same name, and I've seen pictures of him before."

"I know the Jellal you know very well. They are not the same person. Think…think of him as a twin brother," Naruto explained. "I just wanted you to know so you won't feel extra pressured to heal him, thinking that he's the friend you knew from before."

"Okay. T-Then…do you think I can see him again?" Wendy asked hopefully.

Naruto patted the girl on the head once more. "Sorry, but I think he may be a bit busy right now. When we've dealt with Oración Seis and he's back in the area, I'll arrange something, okay? I think he'll be glad to meet his friend again."

"T-Thank you!" Wendy bowed deeply.

"Don't sweat it. I've had a hand in keeping you two apart, and the guilt is gnawing away at my conscience," Naruto smiled regretfully, before turning to Mirajane. "Mira, could you?"

"You mean explain your willfully dangerous plan to Wendy? Fine," Mirajane harrumphed, before smiling disarmingly at a befuddled Wendy. "Well, Oración Seis has become a threat to Fiore, and the legal guilds have basically come together to try and stop them. Naruto has a plan for the upcoming battle with Oración Seis, which involves putting you in a potentially lethal situation. Do you still wish to help out? Because right now, you're a target and it's definitely not safe for you to be fighting."

"I…I'll do what I can to help!" Wendy declared.

"You don't have to do this you know. Naruto is more than capable of coming out with a better, safer plan, aren't you?" Mirajane growled, her sickly sweet smile making Naruto grin nervously.

"I don't want to be a burden. I…I want to help, and if Naruto-san thinks I can, then I will do my best!" the raven-haired girl asserted, her determination clear.

"Oh bother. Naruto, you can explain to her the rest, I'm not going to tell the girl how she's going to charge headlong into danger," Mirajane growled.

Naruto prayed Makarov had advice to deal with irritated girlfriends for him, as he flicked his wrist. A large puff of smoke followed, and when the white cloud dispersed, Naruto had a small table on the bed, arching over his legs. On the table were a brush, a pot of ink, and various blank paper tags. Two pairs of curious eyes followed his hands as he bit the inside of his cheek in thought, before dipping brush in ink and writing on a piece of paper with long, elegant strokes. When he was done, he held the corner of the tag for a moment, and a blue film of energy enveloped the tag. The black script glowed brightly for a moment.

"Done," Naruto announced, before handing the tag over to Wendy. "If, and I emphasize, only if you get captured and asked to heal Jellal, then do you place this tag on his body and channel some magic into the tag. It'll tell me that you have used the tag, and I can then teleport you and Jellal's body away from Oración Seis. Don't go and let yourself get kidnapped just to help us gain the upper hand."

"Wendy received the simple tag with reverence, before tucking it away carefully. Naruto asked for Wendy's hand, and she proffered it. Tapping the back of her left hand, a similar script sprouted from where Naruto's index finger touched her skin, leaving a light, barely visible mark. "That's for me to teleport you away. It's not permanent, so don't worry about having to see it there for the rest of your life or something. That should allow me to get you to safety in time."

"Thank you," Wendy stared at the design on her hand in awe.

"Well, that's all I have. When my little doctor tells me I'm ready to leave the bed, I'll go back to Cait Shelter and check on Carla," Naruto smiled. "You should stay here until we have to go fight Oración Seis in a few days' time. It'll be safer for you, plus you can hang out with your new friends as well."

"Okay. Rest well, Naruto-san!" Wendy bowed once more, before scurrying out of the ward.

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As the door clicked shut, the blond man was suddenly knocked onto his back by a pair of slim, petite hands. A sea of ivory locks cascaded around his head, the ninja doing his best not to be bothered by the mild tickling sensation of hair brushing against his bare skin. Mirajane straddled Naruto's muscled abdomen, her hands planted on his chest and her legs clamping down on his hips in a vice. She stayed silent like that for a while, trying to muster the words to say. Naruto didn't speak either, feeling very exposed in his prone position, but oddly tranquil.

"You're going to risk your life again," Mirajane said dully.

Naruto saw no reason to deny the accusation. "Yes."

"It's difficult for me, you know?" Mirajane murmured tearfully, her hands scrunching fistfuls of Naruto's shirt. "You don't turn up for days, and then appear in front of me on death's doorstep. I've…I've never seen you so hurt before. It scares me, Naruto. I'm scared."

Naruto reached up, his thumb softly brushing away an errant tear. "You know I can't just stop, Mira. You know that I have to do this."

"No you don't!" she practically shouted, as salty droplets followed the curve of her cheeks, dangling on her chin. "You don't…."

"This world has given me many things. I found a sister. I found friends. I found a home. I found solace. I found you," Naruto smiled gently. "I'm just doing my best to protect this happiness as much as I can. This responsibility…all this fighting…is not just what I need to do, or what I should do, but what I _want_ to do. I'm just trying to defend all that I love and care for."

"It only sunk in when Wendy seemed so eager to help save the world. Just like you," Mirajane sniffled, struggling to stem her tears. "Why? Why do you always have to be the hero? Why can't someone else do it?"

"If I weren't the hero, I couldn't possibly have caught the eye of the fair maiden," the blond mage answered drolly, eliciting a choked giggle from Mirajane. "Mira…I'm sorry I can't give you more. You deserve so much more from me. But I can't…I can't just shove this responsibility aside and wait for someone else to pick up the slack. Every time I've hung back…I've regretted those moments ever since."

"So there's nothing I can do to hold you back?" the ivory-haired woman whispered.

"Not really, no," Naruto mumbled apologetically.

"Then promise me. Promise me you won't ever sacrifice your life," Mirajane requested. "Not now, not ever."

"Even when your life is in peril? I won't have any hesitations about jumping in the way of a fatal attack if it meant I can save you," Naruto reasoned.

"Fine," Mirajane ceded, as a teary smile graced her features. "Only me. You can only sacrifice your life for me. Understood?"

"I understand," Naruto promised.

"Good," Mirajane declared, leaning downwards to kiss Naruto.

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A deathly silence replaced the perpetual cacophony in the Fairy Tail guild hall as the door to the medical room opened. The tense, almost caustic atmosphere worsened as Mirajane stepped into view beside Uzumaki Naruto, looking inordinately pleased. Their clasped hands only poured on the tension. The huge discrepancy between the guild's usual rambunctiousness and its current oppressive mood made the ivory-haired woman blanch. But stubbornly, she refused to let go of Naruto's hand, even as the man tried to unweave their entwined fingers. She shot him a withering glare for even considering such an action.

Erza, either unwilling or unable to read the atmosphere, strode forwards. "Naruto-san. You have recovered?"

"I have, Erza. Where's the old man?" Naruto asked pleasantly, opting to ignore the palpable enmity.

"At home, nursing a hangover from yesterday I presume," the _Requip_ user answered, her voice full of reproach. "You will be joining our team to fight Oración Seis, yes?"

"I suppose you are leading the Fairy Tail contingent?" Naruto guessed.

"I have selected Natsu, Gray and Lucy for our upcoming battle," Erza confirmed. "We have worked together on various occasions since Lucy's arrival at the guild, and it's a strong team capable of meeting the heavy demands for this alliance."

At last, someone couldn't take it anymore. Naruto was surprised Natsu managed to hold it in for that long. The dragon slayer roared in frustration as his fiery temper erupted. The pink-haired mage stomped towards the trio of S-class mages, his intent rather clear. He swiped away Gray and Elfman's lackluster attempts to stop him, the two men obviously thinking of doing something similar, and only the twin menaces of Mirajane and Erza kept them from doing something that stupid. Natsu had no such compunctions however, even as Erza moved to cut him off.

A gloved hand pressed against Erza's arm, keeping her from standing in Natsu's way. The crimson-haired knight flashed a confused glance at Naruto, who shook his head. Deferring to the man, she didn't interfere as Naruto stepped forward to meet Natsu fearlessly. The fire mage, lips curled in a toothy snarl, stood toe to toe with Naruto, glaring upwards at the slightly taller man. The blond man's unperturbed expression only drove Natsu's anger to new heights. It spoke a lot about his growing maturity that he held back from just brawling with the Cait Shelter man.

"Bastard. Who gave you permission to come back here?" Natsu growled.

"No one. But I don't need your permission to come and visit my girlfriend now, do I?" Naruto replied coolly.

Elfman was ready to join Natsu after that comment, and only the concerted efforts of Lucy and Gray managed to hold the hulking man back. Smoke leaked from the corners of Natsu's mouth as he grabbed Naruto's shirt, the missing cuirass giving him plenty of cloth to hold. The shirt started to smoke as well, as temperatures rose, literally. Tugging hard, Natsu yanked Naruto down until their noses were less than an inch apart, Natsu letting him and everyone know of his displeasure.

"Mira's not your girlfriend. You're definitely manipulating her, lying to her," the dragon slayer hissed. "Just like you did to everyone in Fairy Tail."

"I don't deny that I lied. But Mira is with me on her own free will," Naruto stated politely, as if there wasn't a volatile fire mage threatening him. "Please respect her decision."

Natsu growled gutturally, and turned his attention to the aforementioned woman as he pointed at her with fury in his orbs. "You! What the hell are you doing with this bastard? He hid Lisanna from you, from us! Is he using some secret spell to control you, huh? Is that it?"

The pink-haired man sneered as he focused his ire back onto his current nemesis. "You manipulative, sick bastard. First you hide Lisanna somewhere, then you turn Mira into your slave! What's next, huh? You gonna turn Erza too? Or Lucy? Or is Levy your next target, huh?"

"Natsu!" Erza yelled fiercely. "Cut this out at once."

"No, it's okay, Erza," Naruto held a palm out to stop Erza. "I can handle this."

"Really? Let's see you handle this!" Natsu howled.

Natsu cocked his other fist back, and ignited both hands as he pulled Naruto into his roundhouse punch. Everyone shifted from their positions, ready to intervene on behalf of either party. But the fight never materialized as Natsu's flames were snuffed out instantly. His clenched fist trembled as it tried to force its way past what appeared to be a transparent barrier blocking it from making contact with Naruto's head. As the dragon slayer let go of Naruto's shirt to land an uppercut to his chin, the blond touched his open palm to Natsu's chest. A violent gust propelled Natsu backward forcefully, smashing him past various flabbergasted guild members, through tables and benches, and finally embedding him in the wall.

Before Natsu could get out of the hole, Naruto raised his hand in his direction. Lucy squealed as her skirt was blown up by the intense gale that burst forth from the ninja's palm, hammering into Natsu and keeping him pinned to the wall. Everyone ducked and held their hands above their heads to protect themselves from the loose items that were sent flying by the powerful winds. Naruto walked slowly towards Natsu, amplifying the pressure to keep the pink-haired mage from even twitching a finger. No matter how Natsu tried to spark up a flame, the wind would blow it out. Naruto stood over the pink-haired man, his eyes clouded with nostalgia.

Gray and Elfman charged recklessly at Naruto's back. Chains sprung out of the ground, and before they knew it, they were trussed up and having their magic drained away too fast for them to use their magic and get free. With three of their best fighters immobilized by one man without a sweat, the rest of the guild wisely backed off from further confrontation. Naruto chuckled forlornly as he gazed at Natsu's struggling form, the man's eyes filled with anger and a bull-headed obstinacy that was extremely familiar. The winds died down with a soft whoosh, but before Natsu could retaliate, he was quickly secured like Gray and Elfman.

"You know, I was once like you. Tenacious, obstinate and always ready to fight for what's right," Naruto reminisced. "I think if the war never happened, I would probably still be like you."

"I'm nothing like you!" Natsu bristled, trying to squirm out of his bindings to no avail. "You're sick! A monster! Fairy Tail cares for each other! We're a family!"

"Yes, Fairy Tail is a tightly knitted family," Naruto agreed, unfazed by the insults thrown in his face. "And I suppose I've failed to demonstrate any sort of care and concern for my fellow guild members. Perhaps you will feel more vindicated had Makarov excommunicated me instead of letting me quit?"

"You'd still be running away from the beat down I've been dying to give you!" the pink-haired mage hollered.

"You can call it an escape if you like. I have no qualms admitting that it was not very honourable of me to walk away like that," Naruto shrugged uncaringly. "But right now, something demands yours and everyone's attention more than me. I've hurt Fairy Tail, and there's very little I can do to make amends, but there are more important things to be concerned about currently."

"How can you call Lisanna's life and everyone's pain unimportant, you bastard?" Natsu seethed.

"I never said they were unimportant, I said they were less important," Naruto corrected. "Nevertheless, Oración Seis should be the top of your priorities, not your desire for justice against my wrongdoings."

"Screw them! I don't care!" Natsu yelled. "I'm gonna pound you into the dirt, you snake!"

"You best watch your next words carefully, Natsu. You don't care that Oración Seis could be wreaking havoc across Fiore?" Naruto reprimanded. "You would ignore the potential chaos that Oración Seis will bring to this world, if only so you can repay me for what I've done? Is that it? All your talk about family, and you can't even put aside your grudges to deal with something that threatens the lives of your family?"

"You…" the dragon slayer scowled.

"Take your time to think through things carefully before you do anything else, Natsu," Naruto warned with a serious countenance. "You can settle your vendetta with me, and satisfy your loved ones. But if they die in the aftermath of Oración Seis taking over the world, will you regret it?"

"I'll just beat all of you up!" Natsu shouted adamantly.

"It seems nothing I said got through to you. I'm not sure what I expected from this conversation anyway," Naruto lamented, as his chains slithered away back into the ground, freeing the trio of mages.

He strode towards the entrance of the guild hall, as Fairy Tail members rushed over to help their fellow mages up. Natsu brushed off everyone as he flipped to his feet, feeling more drained that he had ever felt, even when fighting against Gajeel. Mirajane took a step towards Naruto, but a gentle shake of his head stopped her from reaching out to her lover. Erza was no longer able to endure the animosity towards a man she was growing to respect, glaring daggers at everyone as she stood between Naruto and the rest of the guild.

Wendy felt conflicted, her eyes flitting between her guild member and her new friends. She squeaked, startled, as Naruto addressed her out of the blue. "Stay with them. I'll go make sure Carla is all right, and we'll meet you guys at Cait Shelter. The guild is along the way to our gathering spot anyway."

"O-Okay," Wendy nodded, feeling thankful someone made the decision for her.

"Natsu," Naruto spoke, singling out the pink-haired mage who was currently struggling against Erza's iron headlock. His wretched tone brought everyone's actions to a halt, such was the rawness of the emotion conveyed. "I hope...I hope you'll never see the day when you have to bury the ones you love, who died because you can't focus on what's important."

A deathly silence fell over the guild as the blond man trudged out of the hall, his foreboding words sending a cold chill down many a spine.

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**Author's Notes: **Thought it seemed better this way, given that I can now comment on the chapter without giving away spoilers, and you can get on with the story right away.

Of course, I gotta thank everyone for your kind support. Really appreciate it ;)

Apologies if the jump from action to talking is a bit abrupt (and underwhelming!). I ended the last chapter on a mini-cliffhanger as planned, but I didn't know how to bridge that interlude between the two chapters properly. I sometimes let some scenes go because I can't seem to write them in without changing the feel of the chapter. I do make sure to explain it somehow though, like in the Kurama conversation.

I know the story needs more Cana and Kurama, so I gave them some well-deserved screen time. Some Naruto/Mira fluff is never amiss, and I wanted to do a casual Makarov/Naruto conversation, but it didn't fit the tone. Mystogan will get his spotlight later. I wanted to do a Oración Seis scene too, but I can't seem to write proper bad guy conversations for some reason. And the chapter was just going on and on.

That last remark Naruto makes is obviously alluding to something. You can make your own guesses as to what it's referring to. It's clearly not compliant to recent manga developments (not sure where the anime is now). I won't do any flashbacks though, because they tend to annoy me. Not the actual flashback itself, but the way they are presented, especially with the character's 'current' thoughts interspersed between each flashback. Really, just do a full chapter/arc, like a _Kakashi Gaiden_. So much neater. (Then again, Kishimoto-_sensei_ himself is doing a helluva lot of flashbacks lately...)

Do you guys care about translations? I know some authors have translations for their non-English words at the end of every chapter, or even a _jutsu_ list. In fact, I have a list of Japanese names (kanji+romaji) for Naruto's techniques, and the translations for guild/character/location names; stuff I put some thought into, for my own ease of mind. I swear I spend more time thinking up unimportant names than writing, or things like why Ikaruga is called Hato-chan...I guess it's because I'm annoyed when authors borrow names from other manga/anime for the OCs in their stories...

ANYWAY! I can't really be bothered to do the same like other hard-working authors, so...don't ask for them? :P

Seriously though, if you really want to know, feel free to ask. Or use Google Translate, except for techniques that I don't explicitly name in the story, but I have a name for anyway. Guh.

Must. Stop. Obsessing. With. NAMES.

Until next time!

**P.S. **I got so annoyed by recent manga developments I felt it necessary to rant about it. It's over at my profile, if you fancy a read. I mentioned some things about _La_ _Tormenta_ too, if you're interested.**  
**

**P.P.S. **I've written down a list of the better story ideas I have, that I may pick up after _La Tormenta_ is finished (looking a bit too far ahead, eh?). It's mainly to consolidate the stuff floating around in my head, and to get help picking out holes in the concepts. I haven't decided which story to do after _La Tormenta_, but rest assured, I'm going to finish this baby up before I even try for another story.

If any of my readers feels compelled to write these ideas into a proper story, I welcome you to do so!


	19. Chapter 18: Assemble

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto or Fairy Tail.

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**Chapter 18: Assemble (X784)**

She hissed in discomfort as she tried to rise from the bed she found herself in. The swathe of bandages that she was wrapped up in made her feel incredibly itchy all over, but there was nothing she could do about it. The door to her room then swung open, and before she could say a word, she found two helping hands righting her stiff and unresponsive upper body. A pillow was propped up against the headboard, and she was gently leaned against the soft cushion. A chastising frown was perched on the face of the person who helped her. She recognized the person as a woman, and if the wrinkles were any indication, of advanced age.

"You shouldn't be moving around so much, sweetie. You were quite badly burned by that strange forest fire. If it weren't for the old man…" the old woman nagged concernedly, brushing some of her violet locks from her forehead. "And don't even think about rushing out of this bed, young lady!"

She nodded mutely, her parched and underused throat unable to make coherent sounds. The kindly old woman noticed this immediately, and reached for a jug of water on the bedside table. Pouring a mug of water, the senior brought the clay mug to her chapped lips, slowly tilting the cup. She swallowed the cool liquid greedily, heedless of the disconcerting sloshing it made in her empty stomach. As some water dripped from the corner of her lips, the old woman made a small sound of exclamation, taking away the mug from her eager mouth. A pout of disappointment found its way on her features, but her immediate thirst was satiated, and all that was left was just a lust for the revitalizing drink.

The old woman retrieved a handkerchief from her pocket, and dabbed away at the water staining her chin. She felt quite pampered at that very moment, but the emotion passed as quickly as it appeared. There were more important things for her to think about than how nice the old lady was. Said woman smiled sweetly at her, patting her bedraggled violet tresses with fondness.

"So, dearie, what is your name?" the elderly lady asked gently.

"Cu…Kinana, obaasan."

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Naruto wasn't going to let his spirits fall so easily just from the rather depressing conversation with Natsu. It made several internal demons rear their ugly heads, demons Naruto weren't quite sure he'd completely exorcised, but the blond man muzzled those distracting thoughts. It would do no good for him to lose focus and cause a calamity in the process. So, not moments after he had left Fairy Tail, he winked out of existence, materializing in the midst of confused Cait Shelter members. The ninja once more marveled at the amazingly lifelike spiritual constructs of Roubaul, before a flying cat suddenly obscured his field of vision, hovering at head level.

There weren't many things that could intimidate Uzumaki Naruto. He had faced down demons and gods before he was even a man. Hell, he had even endured the rage of the most fearsome women in the whole world without so much as flinching, the concussions notwithstanding. So, it more of an exercise in preventing his amusement from showing as Carla attempted to glare him into submission, than any sort of damage mitigation he only briefly considered doing. The white-furred Exceed fixed him with the fiercest glare she had, and were Naruto not made of sterner stuff, he might just have wilted under her sneer.

Maybe.

It did help him push aside the more melancholic thoughts in his head, which the Wizard Saint was quite grateful for.

"You!" she growled accusingly. "Where were you when Wendy needed you?!"

"She's safe at Fairy Tail, Carla," Naruto replied calmly. "Have you briefed Roubaul about her kidnapping?"

"Of course I have, I'm not the irresponsible mage that you are," Carla huffed, unable to completely hide her relief at news of Wendy's welfare. "Why didn't you bring her back here?"

"Like I said, she's _safe_ at Fairy Tail. She's already been snatched from under your nose without so much of a fight, and there's only so much we can do against Oración Seis if they do attempt another go at capturing her. Fairy Tail has the best and brightest mages around, they'll keep her safe," Naruto explained patiently.

"And what do you suppose I could have done against those two monsters?" Carla scoffed. "You make it sound so easy, fighting dark mages of their calibre."

"Well, you'll find out just how easy or difficult it is. Four guilds are banding together to fight and defeat Oración Seis," the blond remarked. "Including us. You and Wendy are coming along."

"Are you insane?" the talking cat shrieked. "Wendy's a target and you want her to fight?!"

"I'll be honest with you, it is precisely because she's a target that she's going to join the battle," Naruto stated matter-of-factly. "She's going to be bait. Before you argue against her inclusion in this battle, I've already gone over things with her, and she's agreed. I have safety measures in place, and most likely, she's going to come out of this unharmed."

"Are you even listening to what you're prattling on about?" Carla screeched in disbelief. "You want a girl like her to play bait? She'll be killed in no time!"

"Not when they need her alive for her healing abilities," Naruto retorted. "I'm far more experienced in warfare than you are. I know what I'm doing."

"I won't let Wendy go off and let herself get killed due to some half-assed plan from a so-called Wizard Saint who is clearly no saint," Carla hissed vehemently.

Naruto snorted amusedly at her wisecrack, before he decided to grasp the opportunity and verify something that had been bothering him for a while. "Oh, and I suppose you really do care for Wendy? Please, don't make me laugh. If you cared, you would have tried to track her whereabouts after her capture, instead of coming back to Cait Shelter. You think that others won't be able to figure out your ulterior motives for her?"

"Wh…What do you mean?" Carla's tone immediately changed, as a hint of anxiety seeped into her voice. "They threatened Wendy's life if I followed them!"

"And that would stop you doing it how?" Naruto quipped.

"I had no choice but to abide! I'm just a cat, not a fire-slinging mage!" Carla answered defensively. "If I died, who's going to relay the message that Wendy got kidnapped?!"

"It's a good excuse, but that still doesn't explain your presence around Wendy," Naruto folded his arms, glaring down at Carla imperiously.

"Wh-What are you blabbering about now?" the winged cat stuttered.

"There's another Exceed who's friendly with a dragon slayer back in Fairy Tail," Naruto drawled, carefully watching Carla's increasingly worried expression. "As an Exceed who rules over humans as a superior race back in Edolas, it seems awfully suspicious that you would ally yourselves so willingly to humans, and dragon slayers in particular. Of course, they did hatch you from when you were just eggs, so you can't possibly be part of a conspiracy. Though, it's still quite dubious when those eggs are so conveniently found by dragon slayers and not normal humans."

"Y-You can't prove anything!" Carla blurted out, before her eyes widened in horror.

"So there _is_ a plot from the Exceed," Naruto smiled, his eyes crinkling. "I didn't expect you to fall for my bluff so quickly."

"You," Carla sighed audibly. "Are a menace."

"A pot calling the kettle black," Naruto shot back. "I've laid bare my intentions for Wendy. What do the Exceed want from dragon slayers?"

Carla opened her mouth, but the words failed to come out. Her crestfallen expression sent a wave of sympathy rushing through the blond. "You know, I've watched you deal with Wendy, and I've seen how Happy and Natsu interact. I don't know what the Exceed want with the dragon slayers, but I think growing up with them must have made it difficult for you to execute your plan. You don't want to go through with this, do you?"

"No. How can I?" Carla croaked, as she lowered her head in shame. "She's so innocent. There's no reason for us to kill the dragon slayers. They don't even know of Edolas."

"Then don't do it," Naruto shrugged. Carla's head snapped up. "You obviously care for Wendy. I only questioned that because it was a chance for me to figure out why the Exceed sent their brethren here. It's a smidgen of curiosity, that's all."

"And what do you plan on doing with this information?" Carla demanded suspiciously.

"Blackmail," Naruto replied nonchalantly. "You give Wendy your blessings to join this mission, and I won't exaggerate your schemes to the dragon slayers. There are two more of them in Fairy Tail, and they aren't the most calm and collected of individuals around."

"How did a vile serpent like you become a Wizard Saint?" Carla muttered, knowing she had lost this particular skirmish.

"Precisely because I'm a serpent who knows too much," Naruto remarked, as he walked towards the main hall. "I have some sensitive issues I need to discuss with Roubaul. I can sense your presence, so don't even try to eavesdrop on us. Stick to worrying about Wendy."

"Whatever," the Exceed sulked.

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The carriage was too small.

The journey was too long.

The road was too bumpy.

But there were far worse things for Lucy Heartfillia to be concerned about than the quality of their ride towards Cait Shelter. Things such as sitting beside a sick Natsu, who looked like he was on the verge of puking all over her clothes ever since the carriage wheels made their first revolution, or having that perverted fox Kurama staring unabashedly at her boobs from across the cramped space since the start of their journey. Erza was blissfully exempt from the leering, but even if it was quite disturbing for a canine to do that, Lucy felt rather proud that the fox would rather stare at her chest than Erza's.

"Oh, please. If I could, I would be drooling all over Erza's boobies instead," Kurama rolled his eyes, having seemingly read her mind. "Only because she's covered in armour, and she'll kill me, otherwise I wouldn't bother with you at all."

A dark cloud hovered over Lucy's head as the depressing words smacked her in the face mercilessly. She shot a surreptitious, dirty glare at Erza's specially designed Heart Kreuz chest plate, before sighing despondently as she stared at her own, less impressive boobs. _Why oh why must Fairy Tail be filled with so many beautiful girls, all of them prettier than me? How am I going to find a boyfriend at this rate? I can't let Aquarius keep making fun of me like that!_

"Erm…I'm sure Kurama-san didn't mean it. You're really pretty, Lucy-san!" Wendy squeaked, giving Lucy some words of encouragement.

The fox in her small lap snorted derisively, before he nudged the little girl into scratching behind his ears. Lucy decided to ignore the demeaning sound that came out of the fox's jaws, and smiled at the dragon slayer. "Thank you, Wendy! But really, are you sure you want to join us in this fight? It sounds re~eally scary! I'm not even sure why _I'm_ here to be honest…"

"Mmhmm! Naruto-san told me how I can help, and I really want to do something against the bad guys, just like everyone else!" Wendy nodded fervently.

"You sure you want to trust that guy and what he says?" Gray muttered contemptuously, staring fixedly out of the window. The half-dressed man was seated beside Wendy, who was blushing and looking distinctly uncomfortable with the naked torso of Gray so close to her. "You don't know much about him, so why do you trust him at all?"

"It's true I don't know much about Naruto-san, but I think he's a good person," Wendy opined gingerly. "Roubaul-sama and Makarov-sama trust him, and they are so much stronger and older than me. I think they won't be wrong about Naruto-san."

"And he's even dating Mira! So many people can't all be wrong about him, right?" Lucy exclaimed guilelessly, before sighing dreamily. "I wish I could find a nice boyfriend too…"

"Tch. I can't believe how many people are falling for his tricks," Gray grunted in disgust.

"Snake…" Natsu moaned in agreement, before puffing his cheeks in a bid to hold back his vomit.

Wendy peered at her fellow dragon slayer worriedly, but there wasn't much she could really do. _Troia_ only lasted for so long, and its effects weakened with each successive use. Erza wanted her to maintain her magic reserves too, for the healing she would probably end up doing later on. Natsu would recover from his motion sickness in a matter of minutes when he finally got off the carriage. People with their lives hanging in the balance would need her skills far more than a dragon slayer who couldn't hold his stomach together.

Across of her, an appalled Lucy sidled away from the pink-haired mage, before addressing Gray's comment. "I know you guys are angry about him posing as Aria or whatever, but didn't Master say that it was under his orders or something? He looked really sad when he walked out of the guild two days ago too…"

"He's a bad guy!" Happy chipped in with his opinion. "He beat up Natsu!"

"Bastard…" Natsu shook a weak fist in the air at nothing, before he slumped in his seat woozily.

Lucy shook her head, before turning to Erza, sitting on her other side. "Erza, what do you think about Ráfaga-san?"

"He's a good man," Erza replied simply.

"I don't see what's so good about him, Erza," Gray growled churlishly, crossing his arms over his bare chest. "The old man, Mira, Cana, I understand. They're practically family with that guy, so they'll be on his side even if he's a slimy crook. But you, I don't get. You clearly don't have feelings for him or anything like that. Why the hell are you supporting his case?"

"He may have made mistakes, but he's human like everyone else. I choose to forgive him because he only has good intentions, and he cares for Fairy Tail as much as all of us do," Erza replied factually. "Perhaps even more. He has been a part of the guild longer than any of us, after all."

"Even if acting as Aria was under orders, what about Lisanna then?" Gray retorted. "There's nothing that should stop him from telling us that Lisanna's not dead, and somewhere lost and alone! He doesn't even seem bothered he may have let a poor girl die somewhere away from her family. That's not the attitude of a guy who cares."

"There's more than just Lisanna's life at stake," Erza shook her head. "He told Mira and myself that she's currently at a place that if we trespass carelessly, we might cause a war that Fiore has every chance of losing. It's not for the lack of concern. He's just taking a more cautious and broader view on this issue. I believe he said as much when we were fighting Phantom as well."

"And you blindly trust what he says?" Gray shot back fiercely, leaning forwards. "How sure are you that a war will really break out? Even if there is a war, we'll just fight whoever stands in our way! That's how Fairy Tail works, Erza!"

"But not how he works," Erza smiled thinly. "I don't think he'll mind if I say this, but he's not a mage. He's a ninja."

"A ninja?!" Lucy gasped, as did Wendy. "You mean, like those guys who walk on water, and sneak around assassinating people? No wonder he wears a mask…"

"A close approximation. Master told me that he had lost everyone he loved, and arrived in Earthland by accident while trying something dangerous to save them," Erza explained. "He was raised in a different world, in a different way. He also admitted to being Maelstrom, who has been going around Fiore defeating dark guilds. Do you think that is the work of a man who doesn't care? He may have different methods of doing things, but you cannot doubt his intentions."

"Oh my god! Maelstrom? That guy is super famous!" Lucy gawked incredulously at Erza. "He's like a superhero! He's got T-shirts and action figures and everything!"

"I didn't know that Naruto-san was so amazing…" Wendy mumbled in awe.

"There isn't even any proof that he's actually Maelstrom," Gray harrumphed. "Just because he says it doesn't mean it's true."

"It is true, if you're wondering," Kurama spoke up, causing Lucy to jump in fright at the sudden interruption. "I've been on plenty of missions with him. I can't even remember how many dark guilds we wiped out together. And before you say that I'm lying on his behalf because I'm his pet, you can head over to the Crocus jails. Plenty of the prison birds inside should remember a giant black fox accompanying Maelstrom."

"You're a small red fox," Gray countered dryly.

"I know _Transformation_ and _Titan Magic_, water boy," Kurama sniffed haughtily.

"Clearly, he did a lot of things beyond what we could see. None of us have seen any of his work first hand, so we're in no position to comment about his choices and decisions," Erza interjected before Gray could fire an angry riposte at the crimson canine. "Even if you do not wish to trust him like I do, there's no justification for any one of us to pass such casual judgement on his character. If anyone is in the position to do so, it would be Mira."

"Like I said, she's blinded by love," Gray remarked pointedly.

"Even love has its limits. Mira chose to forgive him in spite of everything. So did Cana, who was visibly more upset by Naruto-san's actions than anyone else, if you recall," Erza reminded. "There's always more than meets the eye."

"Whatever," Gray ended the conversation disparagingly.

Erza frowned at Gray's dismissive tone. "I want you to promise me not to get into a fight with Naruto-san. Your actions will reflect on Fairy Tail, and I will not tolerate anyone of you tarnishing our reputation in front of other guilds."

"Fine, it's not like we have a chance against that monster anyway," Gray grumbled bitterly.

"He's scary…" Happy shivered, recalling how Naruto had schooled Elfman, Natsu and Gray with little effort.

"Natsu?" Erza prompted.

The pink-haired dragon slayer mumbled his assent through his motion sickness. Erza finally turned to Lucy with a stern stare. The blonde raised her arms high up in the air in surrender. "I won't! I'm not crazy enough to try anyway. He's too strong! I mean, he's _Maelstrom_! The guy beats up entire dark guilds for fun!"

"Beat…him…" Natsu gurgled.

Suddenly, a large pothole on the road made itself known, causing the carriage to jerk violently. Kurama found himself flying head first into Erza's metallic bust. Wendy squeaked in embarrassment as her slight frame was thrown upwards, before she landed in a bemused Gray's lap. Lucy jumped into Erza's arms, trapping Kurama in a suffocating bind as Natsu's cheeks suddenly swelled. The pink-haired mage admirably held on for a bit, before he gave up and stuck his head out of the window. A series of loud retching noises were heard as the pink-haired dragon slayer emptied his stomach noisily.

Everyone wisely turned away.

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Naruto, Carla and a group of curious Cait Shelter members watched as a horse-drawn carriage pulled up at the general entrance of the guild. While the Cait Shelter apparitions focused their attentions intently on the carriage and whom it may contain, Naruto couldn't help but marvel at the horses. To haul the carriage and its occupants, along with Erza's huge load of luggage was pretty exhaustive work. Carla, her tiny wings flapping rather dementedly, looked simultaneously excited and fearful as the passengers disembarked. Wendy was the first to step off, and the girl avoided tripping clumsily over her feet as she rushed over to the white-furred Exceed, scooping Carla into a jubilant hug.

The happy reunion between Carla and Wendy was short lived, as the rest filed out of the vehicle. Gray and Natsu's grouchy moods turned the initially cheerful atmosphere sour, but Naruto had to give them credit for holding back on their usual impulse to strike first and demand answers later. Erza's intimidating aura looming behind them might have something to do with their more docile attitudes, but the blond man wasn't going to argue against a good thing. Lucy, on the other hand, affixed him with a strange gaze that the ninja couldn't decipher, her eyes flitting towards Gray and Natsu once in a while.

The inclusion of Kurama was a bit of a surprise for Naruto though. He would have thought the fox was more interested in hovering around Mira, as he was prone to with all manner of pretty women. The last of the Fairy Tail group, Happy, looked rather stunned at the existence of another Exceed. Naruto would have found the blue cat stumbling over his words as he tried to chat up an uninterested Carla quite funny, had he not been more concerned with the battle that was approaching.

Ignoring Gray and Natsu, who was getting increasingly antsy as he recovered from his usual motion sickness, Naruto crouched down to address his old partner. "What brings you along, Kurama?"

"Mira and Cana wanted to come along, but the old man convinced them otherwise," Kurama answered, as he sat on his haunches. "Something about you getting distracted in battle trying to save the damsels in distress. They nailed him good for that one. Apparently, Mira doesn't trust you enough to keep your promise to her, whatever that means. So I had to come along to play bodyguard."

"Just like old times then? Or are you going to enjoy the sights?" Naruto quipped. "I hear there's a cute girl in Lamia Scale that's joining us."

"You had me at 'cute'," Kurama replied quickly, his ears twitching. The fox then sighed dejectedly, flicking his head towards Lucy. "I wish I never showed off my magic to others. Now the girls who know about my sentience are so uptight about me licking their cleavage, when they thought it was absolutely adorable last time. It's not fair."

"Life's never fair," the _shinobi_ grinned behind his mask, patting Kurama on the head. "Maybe you should grow up and find a nice vixen in the woods?"

He received a withering glare in return. "Don't patronize me. I'm the natural enemy of Midnight. You totally need me to fight him."

"Naruto-san," Erza greeted cordially, to which Naruto stood up, leaving Kurama to slink off back to the carriage. "Shall we head to the meeting place then? I presume haste is necessary given the severity of the situation we're facing."

"Don't worry, Erza, it's not. There's no rush for us," Naruto shook his head. "Taking our time might even be more beneficial. It will be good if I had the time to pass on pertinent information about Oración Seis members, and devise ways of fighting them with our combined strength."

"I would have expected Naruto-san to have worked out counters for all their members already," Erza smirked faintly.

"I wouldn't have requested for an alliance if I had the capabilities to take down all of Oración Seis with my own strength," the blond man replied reticently, his shrewd eyes darting between the carriage and the other Fairy Tail members. "I suppose there will be a rather tense mood if I were to board that carriage with everyone else."

"I can keep them in check," Erza stated confidently.

Naruto laughed mirthlessly. "No need to strain things. I'll ride on the roof. The skies are peaceful today."

Erza glanced upwards at the Cait Shelter man's words, watching as a smattering of fluffy white clouds floated gently across a bright cerulean sky. "It is a beautiful view indeed. But I am not so superstitious as to believe that nature's beauty is a harbinger for victory."

"I wish there were truly omens to be read in the skies," Naruto murmured poignantly. "Do you believe in destiny, Erza?"

Mildly startled by the question, Erza nevertheless answered it to the best of her ability. "Sometimes…when I feel helpless, I can't help but think that our lives have been mapped out for us, and that we're trapped by a fate we cannot escape. But generally, I believe that our destiny is what we make of it."

"The gods never cared enough to plot our fates. Only their pretenders do," Naruto said enigmatically, before striding towards the carriage. "Let's go."

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The short journey from Cait Shelter to the meeting location was spent rather awkwardly. Both Lucy and Wendy wore looks of utmost relief as they clambered out of the carriage, glad to be away from the claustrophobic vehicle and its other passengers. Despite Naruto's initial worries, the journey was made uncomfortable not because of Gray's glaring at the roof where said blond ninja was riding, or Natsu's futile attempts at fighting motion sickness. Instead, it was the rather depressing sight of Happy trying his desperate best to woo Carla, and failing at every turn. The white cat seemed preoccupied with other thoughts, and Happy wasn't exactly a charmer himself.

After Lucy and Wendy, the rest of the Fairy Tail group trooped out of the carriage, Natsu needing a big nudge from Gray to flop out of the vehicle like a dead fish. Naruto slid off the roof of the carriage with great poise, his near soundless landing causing Natsu to stir slightly beside the Wizard Saint's feet. Without waiting for anyone else, Naruto marched towards Bob's mansion purposefully, leaving his fellow mages to catch up.

The mansion was huge, almost as large as the entire guild hall of Fairy Tail, and far bigger than what Cait Shelter had to offer. Wendy openly gawked at the mansion's extravagance, the little girl unused to such lavishness. The large oak doors opened to reveal a hallway replete with beautiful furnishings and a red carpet that stretched from door to a grand staircase across the hall. Even Lucy, having grown up in the large estate that her father owned, was quite impressed with the grandiosity of the place. As they tried to find their bearings in the humongous hallway, the surroundings were suddenly dimmed. Before anyone could question how the sun was turned off, a spotlight was shone upon three immaculately dressed men, drawing the Fairy Tail and Cait Shelter delegations' attention.

"The Trimens," Naruto sighed tiredly, interrupting them before they could introduce themselves. "We're here on business, not pleasure. Save your flirting for after."

"Who are you to tell us what to do?" the dirty blond scoffed disdainfully, using a hand to brush his fringe artfully. "We are all strong mages here. Do you think you can just waltz in and take command? And look at you. Dressed in such an uncouth and garish manner. It's clear that we are superior both in terms of looks and strength. Do have some respect for your betters, blondie."

Naruto rolled his eyes, declining to defend his reputation. His debonair counterpart smirked triumphantly, before the trio turned their collective attentions to Erza, Wendy and Lucy, who were quickly given a dazzling introduction. Naruto eyed the sakura petals scattered on the carpet with exasperation as the female mages were served tea at a table and couch the exuberant Trimens brought out. As the triumvirate tried to charm Erza into doing something more than just tasting their tea and offering a polite smile, Lucy could only wonder how the guys in their own guild could be so lame.

_Maybe I can finally net myself a cool boyfriend…_Lucy moaned in bliss, the tea tasting absolutely divine to her. Eyeing Gray who had lost his clothes once more, and Natsu who was leaning against a pillar and moaning piteously, Lucy could only wish she joined Blue Pegasus instead, and met up with that tanned, dark-skinned Ren earlier. _He looks absolutely delectable…Aquarius, I'll show you yet!_

Wendy looked a little overwhelmed by Hibiki's over the top flirting, and cast a pleading glance at Naruto for help. Carla was too busy fending off Happy's advances to keep the man off the Sky Dragon Slayer, while Wendy was clearly not as comfortable with Gray or Natsu to ask them for aid. Both of them were indisposed with their own issues in any case; the former with finding his clothes, the man now down to only his boxers, while the latter was still a tad green around the gills.

Naruto pinched the bridge of his nose, shaking his head in frustration as he prepared to step in. Before he could move towards the raven-haired girl however, a saccharine voice drifted over to their ears, making even Lucy cringe from how sickeningly sweet it sounded. All eyes turned to the stairway, where the voice originated. There stood a short and unattractive man, standing in a gaudy pose. His white suit was a sharp contrast to the black ones the Trimens wore, but it was clear they were all cut from the same cloth.

"Oh, I knew I smelt the beautiful perfume of my darling Erza!" the man called out. "Everyone, allow yourselves to behold the perfume of manliness that is Ichiya Vandalay Kotobuki!"

With that declaration, the man hopped on the golden banisters of the stairs, and slid down the rails in what might be a cool manner were he actually as good looking as he thought he was. As he reached the end of the banisters, he jumped off, doing a twirl in the air before landing unsteadily on his feet. He shot a quick look at Naruto, his nose twitching minutely, before he swiftly returned his attention to Erza. The crimson-haired woman's face was contorted in a rictus of horror as Ichiya pranced towards her, pirouetting with a small measure of grace despite his stocky frame. As he reached the table where the female mages were seated, he produced a flower from an inner pocket on his jacket, offering it to Erza with flourish.

"My honey, it's been too long since we've had an intimate encounter," Ichiya murmured huskily.

"That's our Ichiya-sama!" Hibiki exclaimed breathlessly, in what could only be construed as the voice of an ardent worshipper. "To think he managed to win the heart of Titania Erza…"

"We are not in any relationship," Erza denied vigorously, her complexion turning pasty.

Ren harrumphed, shaking his head slowly. "It is expected for a strong woman like Erza-san to be unwilling to show her softer side, but we are amongst family here…"

"Aniki is so cool!" Eve cheered boisterously. "No wonder Erza-san isn't interested in us!"

"Family? Aniki?" Lucy squeaked in shock. "Erza is married to this man?!"

"NO!" Erza shouted, before scowling balefully at Lucy who cringed. "We've…met on missions before. He's a…strong mage, even if he doesn't look that way."

"I thank you for your compliments," Ichiya bowed deeply, before squeezing his body onto the couch between Wendy and Erza, sniffing the armoured woman brazenly. "My oh my, your perfume remains as exquisite as ever…and your blonde friend here looks and smells just as lovely, like a flower in full bloom…"

Erza recoiled, and vanished from her seat, causing Ichiya to fall into her spot, his head landing in Lucy's lap. The blonde screamed in terror as Ichiya turned his head upwards to gaze at her, a salacious grin spreading across his face and a bit of snot drooping out of his nose. His large olfactory organ twitched as he inhaled sharply, taking a deep whiff of Lucy's scent. Lucy let out another scream and slapped the man across the hall, Naruto taking a step aside to dodge the human missile as Ichiya crashed against the wall on the other side of the hallway.

"Aniki!" the Trimens cried out in concert, as Eve shot a teary, soul-rending glare at Lucy. "What a brutish girl!"

Lucy cried a little in the inside. _I'm…brutish? I'll never find a boyfriend now…_

"Tch, keep your hands to yourselves," Gray muttered, finally dressed again. "We're not here for games, you playboys."

The Trimens and their leader stared at the _Ice Make_ mage as he approached, sharing the same looks of confusion. Ichiya tilted his head, his eyes scrunched up as he studied Gray. "You're a man, right?"

"Of course!" Gray growled defensively. "What of it?"

"We don't care about men. You can go home now," Ichiya waved his hand dismissively, as the rest of the Trimens bowed. "Thank you for your patronage, we won't see you out!"

As Gray and the Trimens started a bout of posturing, trying to assert themselves as the superior specimen of masculinity, Naruto found himself retreating to the side of the hallway. He leaned against the wall and folded his arms, shutting his eyes for a brief moment. When a paw tapped him on his shoe, the blond mage opened his eyes and looked downwards at Kurama. The fox pointed his snout at the growing mayhem before them. "You're not going to do anything about this?"

Naruto shrugged helplessly. "I would like to, but I only really have one idea for shutting them up, and it's not a very pleasant solution."

"Since when did you care about being nice to others?" Kurama snorted. "Especially when we're going into a dangerous situation?"

"I don't see the need for me to do it anyway. I'm sure the man about to walk through the doors soon can settle things down without too much trouble," Naruto remarked nonchalantly, his azure orbs flicking over to the open doorway of the mansion. "After all, he's been established as a Wizard Saint for longer than me."

On cue, the last of the guilds in the alliance made their appearance. Gray and Lucy were thoroughly surprised at the appearance of Lyon Vastia and Sherry Blendy, but before any hostilities could arise from another boost to the testosterone levels in the area, they were all silenced by the loud booming voice of the final Lamia Scale member. Iron Rock Jura, dressed in tribal garb and a piece of headdress derived from the head of a reptilian creature, berated the group without preamble, sounding quite imperious as he did so.

Jura's reputation preceded him, as everyone but Natsu recognized the imposing man instantly. His words were thus heeded without much complaint, but the momentary truce borne from Jura's reprimand quickly ended as Lucy compared the numbers sent by each guild, which turned into a flaunting contest over who had the stronger mages.

Disgruntled, Jura was about to intervene once more, before his sharp eyes caught sight of Naruto standing apart from the group. Stepping away from the budding quarrel, Jura walked over to the blond mage, the action inadvertently interrupting the squabble that was developing. Jura nodded respectfully at his fellow Wizard Saint. "It's an honour to finally meet you, Uzumaki-dono."

"Likewise, Jura-dono," Naruto returned the greeting.

"I see why Cait Shelter sent only two mages. There is simply no need for more," Jura complimented. "With you on our side, we have a markedly greater chance of victory."

"I'm flattered, Jura-dono, but I'm nowhere near as strong as you imply I am," Naruto shook his head. "Oración Seis members are no pushovers. My presence is only one cog in our entire machine."

"You are far too humble, Uzumaki-dono," Jura smiled congenially. "Tales of your prior feats are spread far and wide. And to have survived two brushes with Oración Seis is quite the accomplishment. Personally, I am quite relieved that you are the mage to lead us into this battle."

"What?" the Trimens chorused in puzzlement.

Hibiki looked particularly flummoxed as the famous Wizard Saint deferred himself to Naruto. "Who _is_ that guy?"

Seeing a golden opportunity to put down the Trimens, Gray took Naruto's side for once. "He's Maelstrom. You know, the guy that goes around beating up dark guilds for fun, and puts dark mages in jail? And guess what, you just insulted him earlier…ooh, I wonder if he's the type to want revenge?"

Hibiki's face paled dramatically, while Gray resisted the urge to cackle. Carla decided to chip in too. She didn't appreciate the Trimens' flirting with Wendy. "He's also a Wizard Saint."

"That guy's on the same level as Jura-san?!" Lyon muttered sceptically. "He doesn't look like much to me…"

Overhearing the conversation happening behind him, Jura turned around to address his guild member. "Heavens no. I'm only the tenth strongest Wizard Saint, or the weakest I should say. Uzumaki-dono is stronger than I by magnitudes. In fact, he's the strongest mage here, and given he's the one to call for this alliance in light of his discoveries on Oración Seis' movements, I propose that we follow his lead in this fight."

"There's no need for that," Naruto protested. "I'm just another participant."

"No, Jura-san is right. Naruto-san, as the only mage here who has had direct clashes with Oración Seis, you are the man most suited to devise our overall strategy and direct us in this battle," Erza stated firmly.

"He fought Oración Seis?" Sherry gasped. "And he's still alive?"

"That's amazing…although I bet he just ran when he met one of them or something," Ren commented, trying to recover some pride for Blue Pegasus. "Ichiya-sama won't retreat, right?"

"Of course not! Unless it's tactically appropriate!" Ichiya grunted in a manly manner, before winking shamelessly at Erza.

Scooting further away from the man, she thought it would be remiss for everyone to disregard Naruto's ability. "Master Makarov was at the scene when Naruto-san fought Oración Seis. According to him, Naruto-san rescued Master Goldmine from the one known as Angel, before taking on four of the six members of Oración Seis."

"F-F-Four?!" Lucy shivered, eyes bulging. She stared at the impassive Naruto with trepidation, finding it hard to believe Erza's words. Everyone in the alliance felt similar sentiments, although Natsu with his typical bravado was not too impressed. "So what? I'll fight them all myself!"

"W-We brought our airship _Christina_ to bomb Oración Seis from range, so they can't retaliate…and this guy fought four of them on his own?" Eve trembled. "Is he some sort of monster?"

"Be that as it may, I'm nowhere near that powerful. In fact, I lost miserably. All that encounter did was to prove that we need to work together if we wish to take down Oración Seis and prevent them from getting their hands on _Nirvana_," Naruto said, playing down his skills deftly. "I'm not going to sugarcoat things. This is a life and death conflict, and if we aren't careful, we might not all make it back in one piece. So pay attention, keep your eyes peeled, and don't go gung-ho trying to prove yourself against them."

"Don't give me that bullshit, you bastard!" Natsu shook his fist at Naruto. "You don't give a crap about any of us!"

"Hey, hey, cool it!" Gray hissed, pressing a restraining hand against the pink-haired mage's chest. "We can deal with him later. Focus on what's important. Or do you want to end up burying Lucy or Happy? As much as I dislike him, you've got to admit he's got a point."

"Fine," Natsu huffed, before pointing at Naruto. "I won't fight you now. But once this is over, you and me will settle our differences like real men!"

"You sound too much like Elfman…" Lucy shuddered. "You shouldn't pick fights with crazy strong guys like him…"

"What? I can totally take him!" the dragon slayer fumed, leaving Lucy to bemoan her luck at befriending the temperamental and prideful mage. _Who am I kidding…the stronger the guy, the more Natsu will want to fight him…_

"Is…is there going to be a problem?" Jura queried, gazing at the commotion that Natsu was making.

"No," Naruto replied taciturnly.

"Very well. Will you be briefing us about what you know then, Uzumaki-dono?" Jura suggested.

Before Naruto could reply, all the windows of the mansion suddenly shattered inwards, showering the alliance with shards of broken glass. The mages all utilized their various abilities to protect themselves from the harmful rain of glass, some with more success than others. Everyone's gazes flew to the second storey where the windows were, desperately seeking a fleeting sight or silhouette of their enemy.

Then the wall behind Naruto exploded, and all hell broke loose.

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**Author's Notes:** Wanted to name the chapter 'Avengers Assemble!', but my story isn't meant to be humorous, so I couldn't :S

Unfortunately, this set up chapter is unavoidable. I want to get on with the violence too, but I've learnt that for a fuller story, you can't just jump straight into action. It's not my best chapter either; I struggled to make it meaningful somehow. But hey, at least the fighting for the next two chapters ought to be good (I hope!). As for Cubellios/Kinana...let's just say she's not her canon counterpart. I bet you guys forgot about her :D

She shouldn't be turning up again until after the Tenrō arc though. I just felt that this was the best moment to mention that she's still alive.

Before anyone asks, no, Naruto doesn't think the dragon slayers will believe his words over Carla's. He's still bluffing her, who has no clue what his relationship with Fairy Tail members is like. Even if Carla knows of Naruto's currently terrible reputation in Fairy Tail, she'll still be afraid of that information reaching Wendy's ears. That's how blackmail works, no?

Of course, a big **THANK YOU** to my readers for your great support. At first I was writing for myself; now I'm writing for all my lovely readers. I'm so thankful for all your reviews. It's really encouraging to see people liking my work. College is going to start soon, but I'm not going to stop, just slow down. I have too much in store to abandon the story. I'm excited to write those future arcs, and even more excited to hear your responses.

I'll finish this story, come hell or high water.

That's a promise of a lifetime, _dattebayo_.

**P.S.** I'm not Naruto, so don't expect my promises to be _totally_ binding :P

**P.P.S.** When a _fanfiction_ author feels the need to update his rant on his favourite weekly manga, you know that things are going downhill...


	20. Chapter 19: Perdition

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto or Fairy Tail.

**WARNING:** Horrific death ahead. Feel free to puke. I'm dead serious. Darkest death I've ever written. Like, Jack the Ripper dark.

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**Chapter 19: Perdition (X784)**

It was quite simply the most physically exhaustive thing he had done since he was still a callow youth, but climbing the trees for a better vantage point of the mansion proved to be an astute decision. Their view of the building and the road leading up to it was mostly unhindered, while they were quite well hidden in the thick canopy of the forest that surrounded the staging point for the light guilds' offence. It gave them the perfect observation post to watch the light mages as they made their own way to the designated gathering place, looking extremely relaxed and completely unaware of Oración Seis' presence.

The first to arrive were the Blue Pegasus mages aboard their airship. Brain scoffed at the laughable idea of using something that gigantic against them. It made sense as an intimidation tool, or long distance artillery support. But conversely, a big airship provided a big target for them to aim at, especially when they were a mobile guild of six. The airship commanders would also have to triangulate their location accurately, and take them by surprise with a sudden, inescapable volley of fire; conditions that were difficult to attain at best, and all but impossible against Oración Seis.

Mentally categorising the threat from Blue Pegasus as minimal, Brain kept his vigil on the road leading to the mansion. Most of the mages that were assembling against Oración Seis were but insignificant specks to Brain. He harboured no fear of the various famous mages from each guild that could potentially be sent to this fight. There was only one truly dangerous man he was wary of, and perhaps even relished his upcoming clash of strength and wits with. It had been far too long since he found himself an opponent that he couldn't outsmart with outrageous ease.

As a horse-drawn carriage with a huge load of luggage ambled along the dirt road towards its destination, Brain had to enforce his authority with a hefty dose of killing intent and a deathly glare at his impetuous subordinates. Midnight, who loathed upsetting his father, backed down timidly. Cobra refused to be cowed so easily, and it took both Hoteye and Racer holding back the vengeful man to keep him from blowing their cover.

Or at least, the perception of being hidden.

If there were any doubts about their foe's abilities, they were instantly dispelled when the man lying on the roof of that carriage turned his head slowly, gazing straight at the copse of trees within which Oración Seis were perched. The blond man kept up the stare for a good half minute, announcing to Brain that it was no coincidence he was looking in their direction, before he turned his half-lidded orbs back to the sky. Letting go of a breath he didn't realize he had been holding, the white-haired mage watched with increasing wariness as the carriage pulled to a stop before the mansion, and their main target, of all people, stepped off the vehicle.

"Isn't that the girl we're after?" Angel whispered to her leader, pointing at the little dragon slayer who was gaping at the lavish mansion. "Doesn't he know that we're after her?"

"He definitely knows. He snatched her from under my nose less than a week ago," Brain snapped, scowling as his brilliant mind tried to process the situation.

Angel, for all her deviousness when using Gemini, was clearly no brighter than the mages she had manipulated, as she snorted derisively. "Is he stupid then? Bringing our target right into the battle is just calling for us to snatch her away. How did we ever lose to such an idiot?"

"Because he's not the idiot that you so casually label him as," Brain gritted his teeth, wishing, not for the first time, that he could share some of his intellect with his guild members. He had more than enough to spare without considerably restraining his higher mental faculties. "There's obviously something afoot."

Throwing a quick glance at Cobra to make sure the petulant dragon slayer had ceased his childish tantrum, Brain shifted his entire focus to figuring out Naruto's stratagem. It would be folly for him to assume the man was without a plan just because he gave off the appearance of not having one, and even sillier to assume that he was an idiot just because he brought their target out into broad daylight, seemingly unprotected. Naruto proved to be clever enough to unravel his initial plans. Brain was not going to suffer a repeat of that embarrassment, even if he was convinced nothing was wrong with the concept around his kidnapping attempt.

To him, it was simply an indictment of his enemy's intelligence.

_He knows we're here, but did nothing to even warn his comrades. That means he either doesn't care about our presence because it doesn't affect his plans, or that he expected it from the very beginning. By bringing our target out so blatantly, it's clearly a lure for us to expose ourselves. He probably expected his alliance to be watched by us, and provided the perfect bait for us to latch on accordingly. If I weren't cautious, I would have taken the bait without hesitation. He also intercepted Gemini and found out about their spying abilities. He should be privy of our knowledge of their plans. That he willingly allowed for his meeting to go ahead without modifications is another clear indication that this is nothing but a trap._

"Cobra," Brain barked, drawing the grumpy man's attention. "Is the dragon slayer the real one?"

"Yea. Too far to hear her thoughts, but she smells like the real one all right," Cobra muttered moodily.

_So he's definitely confident about his plan if he's willing to let the real one turn up. After all, Racer reported that he had some doppelganger technique. I wouldn't put it past him to know _Transformation_ either. This whole set up stinks to high heaven. There's no way I'm going to approach the place personally._

"And I have the perfect monkey wrenches to throw into your works," Brain mumbled to himself, smirking as he turned to Racer. "Get our men to surround and attack that building. Order them to kill everyone but the Sky Dragon Slayer. They may take advantage of the airship that one of the guilds has so conveniently left outside for us to…borrow. Hurry, I want to catch them before they can set their plans into motion."

Training his eyes back on the open doorway of the mansion, Brain couldn't help but feel exhilarated by this intriguing game of strategy.

_Let's see what surprises you have conjured for me, Uzumaki Naruto._

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Erza would readily admit that she wasn't much of a thinker, especially in battle. While she was perceptive and could identify an enemy's abilities before selecting the right armour for combat, she wasn't particularly suited to orchestrating large-scale battles involving multiple parties on both sides. It was one of the reasons why she was quite adamant that Naruto lead the alliance in their fight against Oración Seis. While she had no first hand experience of his tactical acumen, she was quite sure that he was better than most of the mages in the alliance in that respect.

She didn't really think too deeply into their situation, with only instinct guiding her to that idea. But in retrospect, it was clear that with the way guilds operated independently from one another, there was no easy way for all the mages of four different guilds to band together and work harmoniously, against a group of dark mages that would have worked together for a long time. Just from the interactions within the group, she could tell that there would be issues when the fighting really began. They needed a firm leader and a tactician, two roles that Naruto would have fulfilled quite easily.

The consequences of a large group lacking team dynamics, and having little tactical sense on the whole, was exposed over the next few minutes. The explosion that took out the wall showered the allied mages with debris, but crucially, it buried their most suitable leader under a thick layer of rubble. Before Erza could instruct anyone to dig Naruto out, a volley of magical blasts bombarded the area haphazardly, keeping them from reaching the man in fear of being evaporated by the powerful magical cannon fire.

To the Blue Pegasus mages' horror, they recognized it as their own airship's cannons that were firing those blasts. The only consolation from the enemy's hijacking of _Christina_ was that they were unfamiliar with the operation of the airship, and were clearly novices at using the various gun turrets that were installed on the ship. But even so, the mansion made for a huge target, and it was easy enough to just pepper the entire building with as many shots as possible, slowly but surely bringing the place down. The beautiful home was taken to pieces chunk by chunk, as blast after blast rocked the house, the dull booming noise doing little to ease the panic that was setting in.

Erza could tell that no one had any idea of what to do. The unexpected attack took out the man touted as the strongest of their group without a sweat. The deafening noise of the place tumbling down around them did no favours for the crippling anxiety either. They were essentially lost and helpless under the heavy fire, and the thought of the enemy using their biggest weapon against them was almost too much to bear. Despair was setting in quickly, and it was the absolute worst time for people to lose their cool.

Even the calmest head of the group, Jura, was having difficulty trying to plot out their next logical move. Erza took a quick, sweeping look at their surroundings, and decided to let instinct guide her as they have done for every battle she fought in thus far. So, with little time to spare, Erza commanded everyone to get out of the mansion. While it would seem silly to rush out into the open when under heavy artillery fire, it was a whole lot better than letting the roof to fall on their heads. As everyone rushed out of the mansion helter-skelter, only the swordswoman chanced a look back at the small pile of bricks and mortar sitting atop Naruto.

The enemy seemed to possess a certain instinct for demolition, given how thoroughly they tore apart the load-bearing points of the mansion, circling the house several times to punch holes all around the building. Just as Jura, rounding up the rear of the group, ran through the large ornate doorway, the entire mansion shuddered and groaned, before the roof and walls simultaneously collapsed inwards. There was no gradual disintegration of the building, or any dramatic, systematic collapse. It was quick and sudden, almost anticlimactic in the way the house tumbled down into a heap.

A cloud of dust and debris washed over the allied mages as the mortar met the ground, the dirty air inducing a round of hacking coughs from everyone. The cloud of dust didn't linger for long, but the disheartening view of the mangled mansion refused to leave. The once majestic home was a wreck, no better than a derelict squatter. The catastrophic start to their campaign against Oración Seis struck most of the group dumb, gaping at the wreckage with no small amount of distress.

But the brief lull in the enemy offence gave everyone in the alliance a moment to regroup themselves and figure out what on earth to do from there. Ostensibly the leaders of their respective guild representatives, Erza, Jura and Ichiya shared worried glances with one another. Erza opened her mouth, ready to ask about Naruto's fate underneath the rubble, but Jura beat her to the punch.

"Is Uzumaki-dono…" Jura murmured, his eyes flicking to the ruins of the grand mansion.

Ichiya shook his head. "I cannot smell his perfume anymore."

Erza wanted to believe otherwise, but she couldn't. She always had trouble pinpointing Naruto's magical signature because it was so well hidden, to the point of being nonexistent. So, for Jura not to sense his life force was not an indication that the man was dead or out of commission. But Ichiya's nose, however, was different. It was more than just a detector for beautiful women. The man was capable of sensing and analyzing the magical prowess of everyone based on their scent, and as an added bonus, become a living radar that finds _any_ magic user in a certain radius. He could definitely smell Naruto and his magical presence before, and now he could not. There was no doubt that Naruto was, at the very least, missing in action.

There was no time to lament his loss, or grieve his possible passing, as the bushes rustled from the sounds of a hundred men. That was no exaggeration, as out of the forest, numerous savage faces emerged, all of them wearing wide, murderous grins. From above the ruins of the mansion, _Christina_ glided down to a more visible altitude, the gleaming airship's cannons all aimed in the general direction of the allied mages. In the face of an overwhelming number of enemies, the light mages unconsciously arranged themselves in a tight defensive circle, their backs to each other.

A bead of sweat rolled down Erza's cheek, the _Requip_ mage fighting the urge to wipe it away. The dark mages seem content to wait, flexing their muscles and leering at the women. Everyone in the vicinity knew who possessed the greater firepower. Even with a Wizard Saint on the light mages' side, the dark mages had a substantial numbers advantage, along with a powerful airship for artillery support. They didn't need to hurry, because they held the best cards at the moment.

Then, the rubble of the mansion shifted, before it exploded outwards. The unexpected eruption of debris was accompanied by a bone-shaking, gut-wrenching roar that made the weaker mages quiver at the knees. A massive jet-black fox stood in the middle of the ruins, its fur bristling as it growled menacingly. Gnashing gleaming teeth the size of swords, the fox had drawn everybody's attention onto it. And if the dark mages didn't deem the fox as the greatest threat they would have to face, it soon dispelled that particular notion as it unleashed a wave of white-hot flames that engulfed the forests with one powerful breath.

Standing on the dirt road leading to the mansion, the allied mages were relatively unscathed by the cleansing fire that burnt and consumed with an eye-watering ferocity. Jura found it prudent to raise an earthen wall around their circle, shielding them from the worst of the blaze. The wall obfuscated their view of the forests, but it could not silence the unholy screams of their enemies as they perished in the hungry fires. Overactive imaginations fueled by the morbid sounds led Lucy and Wendy to clasp their hands over their mouths, only just keeping the bile from reaching past their throats.

The fox let out another loud roar, but this time, it was not the same chilling noise from before. The animal sounded pained, and Jura duly lowered the earth barrier. The alliance was greeted with the sight of the living dark mages focusing their attacks on the large target that was the canine. It was clear that it was none other than Kurama, and he was in more than just a spot of trouble. With all the worry over Naruto's fate, Erza had completely forgotten about the fox. But he had certainly returned to the forefront of everyone's consciousness in a loud manner.

None of the mages in their loose alliance were going to lose out to a fox of all things. They had pride in their abilities, pride in their guilds, and they weren't going to let a transforming fox upstage them. Confidence surged as they realized that despite the odds stacked against them, they were more than capable of winning. The numbers they faced meant nothing. The airship belonged to them; they knew how it worked and all its weaknesses. Victory was in their grasp. There was nothing to fear, nothing to worry about but the enemy in front of them.

"LET'S GET WILD!" Natsu hollered, a fierce grin stretching from ear to ear as he led the reckless charge into the fray.

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Brain wasn't too sure what sort of trap Naruto had installed for him, but he hoped it was toast along with the mansion. The fire from the giant fox was dangerous, but ultimately a mere annoyance to Oración Seis. It was nowhere as fearsome as the black fire that Naruto had used against them before. All it took was a wave of Midnight's hand to redirect the white fire away from his father. None of them showed a shred of compassion or guilt as the deflected flames took one of their grunts by surprise, the wave of fire sweeping over him from behind and roasting him to a black crisp.

Retreating further away from the impromptu battlefield to avoid any nasty surprises or stray attacks, Brain found himself getting increasingly anxious with every minute that passed without Naruto's appearance. He could clearly see his men fighting the light mages to a relative standstill, and yet there was no sign of the blond man who seemed to enjoy thwarting his plans. He would expect a light mage like him to rush over to the fighting and try to save his comrades. Or, at the very least, he might swoop in and grab Wendy to safety, ensuring that Oración Seis' main target isn't captured in the melee.

Annoyingly, the smoke from the blaze was interfering with Cobra's nose, the cacophony of fighting his _Sound Magic_. Hoteye couldn't find him with his _Heaven's Eye_ either, which indicated that he was either not watching the battle, or he was so well hidden that not even his best sensor mages could find him. Neither scenario bode well for Oración Seis. It was a situation Brain didn't expect to find himself in, being at the mercy of his enemy's machinations and having to fight reactively. He manipulated people, not the other way around.

_What is his play here? Is he still preparing the trap? Or is the trap already set?_ Brain furrowed his brow, taking a brief moment to wipe the coalescing sweat from his forehead. _Was the trap destroyed in our preemptive attack? Is his waiting for us to appear before he springs something on us? What an infuriating opponent he is._

But his agitation at the lack of visible action from his enemy only enhanced his admiration for the mage known as Uzumaki Naruto. The man kept everyone from his enemies to his allies in the dark, and played the most perceptive of men like puppets. Brain had no doubts that Naruto had meant to make him sweat it out; quite literally too, given that they were close enough to feel the heat from the crackling forest fires that the fox had inadvertently started. He couldn't prevent the slightly crazed grin from spreading across his features.

"Father, what is it that amuses you?" Midnight asked meekly, shrinking back slightly as Brain affixed him with a narrowed glance. "Should we not capture our target? She's exposed, and Maelstrom is not around?"

"Feel free to jump in with the rest of the idiots there," Brain gestured at his pawns. "And possibly get killed by Uzumaki without even a whimper. Do you think I sent them to attack for no reason? They're there to draw Uzumaki out if possible. If not, I don't care if they live or die against the light mages. Cutting down the chaff is a bonus. None of them matter once we get our hands on _Nirvana_."

"But we need the girl to heal-"

"And do you think I'm unaware of the fact?" Brain replied coldly, causing Midnight to stumble back a step in fright. "That man knows that we're after her. He was smart enough to catch up to me, and snatch the dragon slayer from right under my nose. She's clearly the bait to lure us in. Uzumaki may fancy himself a fisherman, but I'm a shark. And I'm not biting on something as obvious as our target fighting out in the open."

Nodding quietly, Midnight cowered as Brain returned his gaze to the raging battle, eyes darting about to spot his elusive adversary. He could hear the rebellious mutterings of Cobra behind him, but at that point, Brain didn't care about what they felt of him. He never really did feel concerned for their wellbeing, only their potential and their usefulness to him. He would, if absolutely necessary, toss aside even Midnight if that suited his agenda. Just as Naruto was willing to abandon his alliance when it was the most suitable action for his strategy to work.

_A light mage willing to sacrifice a few pawns to achieve an overall victory…that's a sort of man you won't see everyday,_ Brain mused, as he watched his grunts resort to continuous bombing of the allied light mages, with ground troop numbers dwindling alarmingly fast. Then, before Brain could ponder a next move, a sudden wave of energy smashed into his finely tuned senses like a sledgehammer. But he was not the only one to feel that burst of power; even the least sensitive of mages could detect that thick, almost suffocating power. Each and every one of the mages on either side of the fight turned their heads to see a massive pillar of black light erupting from the ground, giant strands of dark, pulsating energies swirling around the central beam.

Hoteye curled into himself as he clutched his head with both hands, a pained groan escaping his lips. Mildly concerned that the money-obsessed man was going to be a liability, Brain walked over and clamped a powerful hand on Hoteye's shoulder. There was clearly a correlation between the activation of _Nirvana_ and Hoteye's condition, and Brain had studied enough ancient Nirvit scriptures to know what it meant. Brain squeezed hard, hoping the physical pain would distract Hoteye from his indecisiveness. The orange-haired man trembled, before he suddenly straightened up, a polite smile on his angular, geometric face.

"I am fine. The money awaits," Hoteye proclaimed.

Brain nodded sharply, acknowledging that he had his man back. "Good. Let's hurry."

The white-haired man nearly guffawed in glee as he charged in the direction of the light with wild abandon, his guild members trailing closely behind him. He couldn't be more surprised by the actions taken by his nemesis, but on further thought, it fitted the blond man's modus operandi down to a tee. _To activate _Nirvana_ when it is our final goal…is extremely foolhardy,_ Brain smirked, the idea of getting his hands on _Nirvana_ making his steps swifter. _But making the riskiest moves will often reap the greatest rewards. Keeping me occupied with the idea of a trap when there might be none at all! How delightfully devious._

There was no one to impede their way, unlike the light mages who would have plenty of dark mages still to go through. He was not built for speed like the rest of his guild however, and an impatient Cobra pulled ahead, having realized just who may be awaiting them at their destination. Brain gritted his teeth at Cobra's impulsiveness, but decided there was no point in holding the dragon slayer back. With _Nirvana_ activated, everything became inconsequential. Even his game of strategy with Uzumaki Naruto paled in significance to Oración Seis' ultimate prize, a prize the Wizard Saint was so graciously presenting to them.

Seeing Cobra take the lead, Midnight gave his father an imploring glance. Brain waved his free hand dismissively, and a look of unadulterated joy crossed Midnight's face before the man put in a burst of speed to catch up with the dragon slayer. The two men disappeared into the thick foliage, leaving the remaining four members of Oración Seis behind. It appeared that all but Hoteye seemed to enjoy the feeling of intoxicating power washing over their senses, the heady sensation almost begging them to grasp the power on offer and make the world bend its knee in subservience.

Barreling into the small clearing where the pillar of energy erupted from, Brain couldn't hide his euphoria at seeing the majestic black light's source. The power of _Nirvana_ had sundered the land surrounding the magnificent pillar, leaving behind a rough circle of rocky outcrops. The huge, elaborate structure hummed with awesome power, its energy uplifting and crushing all at the same time. It was a potent mix that threatened to bend the strongest wills and break the most resilient minds.

But Brain's joy at finally finding _Nirvana_ only lasted for so long, as he watched Cobra and Midnight pound furiously on a translucent blue barrier that refused to budge. Both men's faces were contorted in frustration and fury, as their mortal nemesis sat behind the safety of his shield, with _Nirvana_ ensconced safely inside with him. Brain's grin fell away, barely noticing Hoteye hunching over once more. The white-haired leader of Oración Seis locked eyes with Naruto, glaring fiercely at his counterpart. Naruto maintained his lotus position, his eyes filled with icy calm.

"What is your purpose of activating _Nirvana_, Uzumaki?" Brain frowned, pointing his staff at the super-weapon behind the blond. "Are you trying to destroy it?"

"It's the only way to destroy _Nirvana_ for good. Or at least, that's what Roubaul told me," his adversary replied pleasantly, as if there weren't two berserk S-class mages throwing everything they had at his barrier. "I tried to distract you with Wendy, but it appears that you didn't fall for the bait."

"Of course not. I won't make the mistake of underestimating you. I have nothing to fear from the mages who allow themselves to be burdened by the notion of compassion and camaraderie. But you…" Brain answered freely, unable to stop himself from falling into conversation. "You are not a typical mage of the light. You fight like us. You plot like us. You think like us. The only difference between you and I, is that we stand on opposing sides."

"I have to stop and correct you there. In reality, I'm no more a mage than the rocks on the ground, or the trees in the forest," Naruto remarked, closing his eyes. "I don't use Eternano the same way as a mage does. So calling me a mage of the light is a bit of a misnomer."

"Mere semantics. Deep down, we're the same type of person, are we not? But all of that means nothing to me now that you're in my way," Brain proclaimed, keeping his eyes trained on Naruto as he barked his orders. "Hoteye! Loosen the ground around his barrier. Let's see just how deep your barrier runs."

"No."

Brain spun around incredulously, briefly noting his guild members' similarly stunned faces as they regarded their tallest member. The orange-haired man had a peaceful smile etched on his angular face. "Love is what the world needs!"

"Unbelievable," Brain shook his head at the bitter irony of his own man turned by the weapon he coveted. "Racer, Angel, deal with it."

Receiving simultaneous nods, the two other Oración Seis members jumped straight into fighting Hoteye. The man was about to jump backwards, out of the way, when his back collided with something unyielding. Calmly, the _Liquid Ground_ mage held his hand to his face, placing his index and middle fingers underneath each eye. Both eyes glowed brightly for a moment, then as he swung that hand outwards, a wave of liquefied earth scooped Angel and Racer up, trying to bury them alive.

Racer with his _Slowing Magic_ avoided the tsunami of earth easily enough, but Angel wasn't the most agile of fighters at the best of times. A tendril of liquid soil snagged her foot, and the woman was tossed bodily across the rocky clearing they were in. With a loud thump, she contacted a shimmering blue wall, one that now stretched all around the clearing. Naruto's eyes snapped open, yellowish toad eyes glinting with intent. Racer quickly retrieved Angel, and Oración Seis unconsciously gathered closer, while Hoteye moved to stand beside the inner barrier that protected Naruto.

"W-What is this?" Brain stuttered momentarily, swinging his head around to find a weakness in the ring-shaped barrier that Oración Seis was now trapped within. "When did you…"

"Did you really think I'd be silly enough to let you roam free and remain a threat against humanity?" Naruto snorted. "Please give me a bit more credit. This mission is two-fold. Destroying _Nirvana_ only denies you a weapon. It doesn't prevent you from being a danger to Fiore."

"So this is…" Brain simmered in his building rage, his grip on his staff tightening. His knuckles turned white from the force as he stabbed the weapon into the ground in a fit of pique. "This is your real trap."

Naruto allowed his hidden smile to reach his eyes. "You are too wily to trap conventionally. You also knew of the alliance we arranged for, something that is difficult to change logistically. With all the cards I've been dealt, I had to do the best I can with what I had. So Wendy became a deterrent, keeping you away from the alliance with the fear of a trap. And the activation of _Nirvana_ is the pull factor, because it's all you're really after. You want _Nirvana_, and you were trying to get it through Jellal by healing him with Wendy. If you could find or activate _Nirvana_ without his help, you would have done so already."

"You…"

"He was crucial for his knowledge of _Nirvana_, and I've rendered that unnecessary by activating it. With your main goal essentially achieved, you will have no reason to continue attacking the alliance, or targeting Wendy. They will be the first victims of _Nirvana_, so why does it matter if they are alive or dead when you get your prize?" Naruto explained.

The whole of Oración Seis listened raptly to the conversation between the two foes, enthralled. Brain's face, twisted in ire, took a while to loosen. Then, he erupted in laughter, his body shaking erratically. "Brilliant! How audacious! I said I won't make the mistake of underestimating you, but it seems I did. Now, you have us trapped and helpless. What do you intend to do to end our reign of terror then? Even with Hoteye on your side, we are more than a match for you."

"I promised someone I wouldn't sacrifice my life for anyone else, but I suppose I'll be forgiven for this transgression eventually," Naruto stood up, brushing his pants off casually.

He turned around, and pressed a palm against the cool surface of _Nirvana_. Smooth, elegant lines spread from where he placed his hand, spreading across the pillar evenly from the starting point. The thick, graceful strokes sometimes curled into itself, morphing into indecipherable, archaic runes. Brain's eyes quickly studied the growing script, finding them awfully familiar. Then, the realization hit him, and an involuntary gasp escaped his lips. "Those scripts…impossible! How on earth…"

Naruto didn't seem to register his words, keeping his vigil on the black lines that swiftly covered the entire pillar. The complex script flashed an ominous red, the glow almost lost in the scintillating light that _Nirvana_ was still throwing out. Only when the script settled down did the blond ninja turn around to face his opponents again. "Truthfully, I'm not confident that destroying just the 'king area' of _Nirvana_ will guarantee that no one can repair it for nefarious purposes in the future. Roubaul agrees with me."

"You created a destruction script linked to your life…" Brain murmured, still in shock.

Naruto's toad-like orbs widened in surprise, but he regained his focus instantly. He waved his hand, bringing down the barrier that kept him shielded from Oración Seis. "Yes I did. Now, if you kill me, the seal will be triggered and destroy _Nirvana_'s main control point along with everything in a hundred metre radius. So I have the license to end your lives, but you cannot kill me without repercussions."

Before Cobra or Midnight could take a step towards their foe to show must how much they didn't care, the ground trembled ferociously. As everyone but Naruto struggled to find their footing on the shaking earth, thick beams of light burst out of the ground randomly, spreading from the epicenter that was the _Nirvana_ pillar. The earth broke up into chunks as slowly but surely, something beneath the ground began to rise. Earthen blocks of varying sizes fell off the giant that raised itself from deep down under, its eight legs uprooting trees and digging furrows as _Nirvana_ pushed itself upright.

_Nirvana_ rose from its slumber with a terrifying majesty, its eight legs supporting the huge bulky half-sphere of rock that made up its midsection. Now that _Nirvana_'s true form was uncovered, Oración Seis found themselves standing on a beautiful octagonal stage, with broken, uneven pillars at each point of the octagon. The entire platform was built high above the rest of the _Nirvana_, the central tower of the massive machine. From their position at the top of _Nirvana_, they could cast their eyes over the ancient Nirvit city and the large forest that _Nirvana_ was hidden in. Naruto's blue barrier, still active, was a little smaller in area, forming a cylindrical block within the perimeter of the stage.

Naruto walked forwards, approaching Oración Seis as if they weren't a guild of merciless murderers. Hoteye followed him closely, receiving a nod from his blond ally. Without any discernible movement, a clone of Naruto appeared behind him, dead centre of the platform they were on. The same blue shield from before sprung up, protecting the doppelganger as he swiped his arms in front of him, conjuring a ring of floating cards that encircled his form. Then, loud noises of grinding stone signaled the start of _Nirvana_'s sluggish gait, the walking city smashing up bits of forest with every step.

"Where are you taking _Nirvana_?" Brain gritted his teeth.

"To the northern seas, to drown it so deep underwater no one will be able to retrieve it," Naruto replied honestly.

Brain howled. "You're a madman! You are willing to kill yourself just to destroy _Nirvana_?!"

"Yes. But I won't just be destroying _Nirvana_, I'll also be ending your lives," Naruto stated firmly. "We'll walk into the ocean, and I'll release the barrier when we're all submerged deep enough for the water pressure to crush us. If I die before that, my script will destroy_ Nirvana_. The barrier I've erected is independent of me, so even if I'm killed, it will not fall until the seal has run out of energy. Which means that you'll all be trapped here when my destruction seal goes off and eradicates everything within this space. There will be no escape for anyone. I apologise, but you'll be dead too, Hoteye."

"I understand that love sometimes needs sacrifices!" Hoteye chirped. "And call me Richard! That's my real name."

"Richard-san it is," Naruto inclined his head at Hoteye, before returning his attention to the rest of Oración Seis. "And while we're on the march, I thought I might spend the time cutting down some of you. I don't think any of you will be able to escape the blast if I die, or escape the ocean when we get there, but I might as well not take any chances. And since you can't really go for killing blows, I might not even have to perish today."

"Do I look like I give a shit?!" Cobra yelled out, drawing everyone's eyes to him. "As long as you die before me…as long as I can kill you to avenge Cubellios…I DON'T CARE!"

Letting loose a guttural roar, the Poison Dragon Slayer darted forwards, hell bent on making Naruto suffer for his actions. The blond ninja's hands flicked out, and a crescent wave of three-pronged throwing knives flew towards Cobra out of nowhere. The dragon slayer snarled bestially, covering his arms with impenetrable dragon scales as he charged heedlessly into the path of the _kunai_, using his hands to knock them off course. But before he could reach his nemesis, the man vanished, only to reappear behind Cobra.

The dragon slayer spun around as fast as he could, but not quick enough to catch Naruto as the man disappeared once more, leaving behind only a small rectangular piece of paper in his wake. The tag glowed brightly before it exploded in a flash of white light. Cobra howled as the piercing light blinded him and everyone without eye protection or adequate warning in the vicinity, and furious rubbing of his eyes did nothing to improve his visibility. But Racer was wearing shades, and thus he was just about able to catch Naruto's movement as he teleported to another one of his funky knives near the Oración Seis member, a giant cleaver ready to bifurcate Angel and him with a single horizontal stroke.

Unleashing his _Slowing Magic_ to the fullest, Racer only just managed to pull Angel down to the ground in time, the gleaming sword making a loud whooshing noise as it sliced above their heads. Quickly noting the positions of all the knives he could see, the speed-obsessed mage dived for the closest open space without any of those _kunai_ that would leave him within cutting distance of that menacing blade. He saved Angel's life, but it was a matter of convenience and not real concern for her safety. His own life was far more important to him.

Racer watched as Angel, still disorientated by the flash and being suddenly jerked down to the ground by him, scrabbled at her waist for her Celestial Spirit keys. But she was too slow to defend herself from the man who towered over her unseeing form, too slow to summon any of her spirits to block the giant blade. _Kubikiribōchō_ swung in a wide, lazy arc, the guillotine sword decapitating Angel with a macabre elegance. Warm blood squirted from her carotid arteries, the unknowing heart still pumping out the crimson liquid. Angel's head rolled to a slow stop at Brain's feet, the man regaining his sight just in time to see her beautiful face staring up at him, scrunched up in a rictus of terror.

The executioner's blade was spotless, as was their adversary. He stood nonchalantly over Angel's headless body, completely unfazed by the fact that he had just ended a life. The thick blood pooled around the cooling corpse, and Naruto merely took a step back to avoid the spreading puddle as if it were a natural occurrence. All of Oración Seis had seen violence and death; Angel herself was particularly notorious for playing with her prey before ending their lives brutally. But to see one of their own elite cut down before the battle even really started was frightening. They knew of his abilities, they knew of his differences to other light mages, but nothing could prepare them to see their enemy kill so casually.

The mages that killed were usually on their side. As if to prove how ruthless he was, the blond man even bent down to loot her keys from her body, making them vanish from sight in puffs of smoke.

"I don't usually kill," Naruto commented flippantly, like he was discussing the weather. "But I'll make an exception for all of you."

Brain stumbled back, away from Angel's head. A set of lines on his face glowed, before they slowly disappeared off his skin. Naruto cocked an eyebrow at the sight, but didn't comment. Or rather, he didn't have time to say anything, as he was forced to dodge a powerful _Poison Dragon's Roar_ that burst from Cobra's mouth. Hoteye jumped into action as well, turning the ground beneath Cobra to liquid, but the dragon slayer was equal to that, hopping away quickly before dashing after the rapidly retreating Naruto.

Midnight was not going to let his prey be taken by Cobra either, as he recklessly swung his hands around, firing off numerous large _Distort Blades_ that flew right at Cobra's back. The dragon slayer snarled as he sensed the incoming invisible blades of air, and grudgingly ducked as they flew by him, right into Naruto's face. The man's toad-like eyes widened momentarily, before a sphere of wind erupted from his body, hurling aside Cobra and disrupting every single _Distort Blade_. Cobra dug his heels into the ground, only just managing to keep his balance as he arrested his sudden backward movement.

The winds dissipated quickly, and Midnight was quick to pounce, using his _Reflector_ magic to try and crush his opponent. As Naruto's coat wrapped itself tightly around him and started to squeeze, Hoteye intervened, a wave of liquid earth rushing towards Midnight. The raven-haired mage was forced to dodge, breaking his spell on Naruto, who then had to contend with a volley of small, scale-like bullets of poison that sprayed in all directions, forcing even Racer to take evasive action.

Knowing of Cobra's _Sound Magic,_ Racer decided to add his own hail of projectiles to the mix. Raising his hand high up in the air, a small halo surrounded his wrist, and as he brought it down, vehicle tires burst out from nowhere, all bouncing towards Naruto at high speed. Their enemy was forced to dodge, but Cobra heard every movement that he wanted to make with ease, aiming his _Poison Dragon's Scales_ right where Naruto was thinking of moving to. In response, the ninja conjured a dome of spiraling winds, blowing all the attacks aimed at him off-course.

A huge beam of darkness then pierced right through the earthen wave that Hoteye tried to overwhelm Midnight with, targeted directly at the middle of the dome of wind where Naruto was. The winds dispersed as the powerful blast punched right through the shield, but there was no sign of their opponent. Said man had teleported to another one of his knives, yellow eyes narrowed grimly as he stared at Brain, who was still holding out his staff after firing off his _Dark Capriccio_.

He was given no time to think as Midnight made an ethereal grab for his clothes once again. A swift _Kawarimi_ had Racer in his position, the Oración Seis member's breath forced out of his lungs as his own clothes tried to crush him. Sneering, Midnight dropped his ally to the ground unceremoniously, focusing his concentration on catching his adversary. He was only allowed quick glimpses of a fluttering crimson coat as Naruto _Hiraishin_-ed quickly from marker to marker, keeping Oración Seis on their toes. Even as he moved about with insane speeds, he was scattering more and more _kunai_ in the arena, though none of the knives were even nicking anyone.

"We have to get rid of the knives! They are how he gets around!" Racer cried out a warning.

At that advice, Brain, Midnight and Cobra unleashed all they had to blast the three-pronged _kunai_ as far away from their bodies as physically possible. Hoteye tried to intervene, but he was sent flying away by Midnight, the man in no mood to get interrupted. As they cleared a circle around themselves that was bereft of Naruto's knives, a loud swooshing noise was heard. Cobra was the first to hear it, and tilting his head up, he spotted Naruto hovering above them, standing upon nothing but air. With a loud howl, he gathered his poison in his palms, and swung his arms upwards into a cross guard, two thick fangs of venom flung right at his nemesis.

Brain was not slow by any means, but he wasn't the fastest mage around. Hence, by the time he registered the sound of a flying _Kubikiribōchō_ bearing down on him, the cleaver was already too close for him to react to. He tried to raise Klodoa in defence, but he knew that even if he brought his staff up in time, the wooden tool wasn't going to do him any good. He had only gotten Klodoa halfway up as _Kubikiribōchō_ came within a revolution of cutting him in twain. Then, all of a sudden, it was blown away from its original trajectory, smashing loudly into the barrier, far away from Brain.

In the next moment, a bloodcurdling scream filled Brain's ears, and he swivelled his head towards the source of the noise. A humongous fist of slicing winds had smashed down on Midnight, no longer protected by his automatic defence the moment he deflected _Kubikiribōchō_ away from his father. Naruto took merciless advantage of that one act of selflessness, taking the raven-haired man by complete surprise with his powerful attack. Deep cuts and gashes sprung up all over Midnight's body, his clothes all torn to shreds. Midnight threw his hands out desperately, dissipating the fierce cutting gale that had surrounding him with an uncontrolled blast of _Reflector_.

But that just gave their enemy another opening, the man diving down like a peregrine falcon as he conveniently dodged the _Poison Dragon's Twin Fang_ that Cobra had thrown at him. His right hand was cocked back, and as he reached a startled Midnight within a split second, his arm fired forward to stab a wind-coated hand right into Midnight's midsection.

Racer watched the grisly scene with no small amount of disgust as Naruto's hand, flattened into the rough facsimile of a knife, punched straight through Midnight's abdomen and came out the other side with morbid ease. Midnight's eyes were bulging from the excruciating pain as blood spurted from his lips. Even more of the crimson fluid streamed out of the huge wound in his gut, but Naruto wasn't done. He snarled as the winds around his hand stretched to cover his whole arm, tearing a bigger hole in Midnight's body. With a savage roar, Naruto jerked his hand skywards, his limb shearing through Midnight in a terrifying display of power.

Flesh and bone dissolved into a pink mist as the blond man's arm traveled from belly to skull, annihilating everything in its path. Midnight collapsed to the ground in a boneless heap, his severed organs slipping out of his body with wet, sickening squelches. He was effectively split into half from head to navel, a huge vertical chunk of his body now virtually nonexistent. The strongest mage in Oración Seis had just died the most grotesque death anyone present had ever seen in their lives. Not even Naruto himself had killed someone in such a ghastly manner, and the shock from the horrendous sight showed. Even Cobra, obsessed with avenging Cubellios, was sucked into the lull in battle that descended upon the combatants.

The winds surrounding Naruto's hand kept his forearm and glove completely free of blood, but it also splattered the crimson liquid all over his clothes. The blood dripped down his face in tiny rivulets, his mask darkening from the dampness. Slowly, Naruto reached for the edge of his facemask, pulling downwards past his chin to allow himself to breathe in something other than the metallic tang of blood. He stretched his right arm out, and in a blast of smoke, _Kubikiribōchō_ was once more in his hands, the blade looking pristine despite a hefty impact with his powerful barrier. Dripping in crimson and wielding his massive sword, Racer couldn't help but see the blond ninja as Oración Seis' designated reaper.

"I was hoping to take you by surprise, and when he defended you, test the limits of his automatic defence," Naruto explained to Brain coldly. "It seems his magic can only be focused at one place. But even with his magic's limits established, I didn't think it would be that easy to kill the so-called strongest member of Oración Seis."

"You…killed him…" Brain rasped, his voice hitched as another set of spidery lines disappeared from his skin. His eyes were riveted on the broken corpse of Midnight, his shoulders shaking unwittingly. "He was…the only thing…I may have ever cared for…"

Brain's psychotic gaze snapped to Naruto, before he thrust Klodoa forward. From the staff's skull head, a huge beam of darkness erupted, almost too fast for Naruto to dodge. But dodge he did, executing a quick _Kawarimi_ with Racer once more. Not even his most powerful _Slowing Magic_ could help the speedster find the reflexes to get out of the way of Brain's _Dark Capriccio_. Racer gurgled as the dark light pierced his chest and heart, blood filling his lungs. The red liquid bubbled out of his lips as the man keeled over without a sound, the least dramatic death of the day.

Oración Seis were down from four to two in the short space of a few seconds. But neither Brain nor Cobra could find it within them to care about Racer's demise, as they sought the death of the man who took the most important person of their lives away. Brain fired off numerous blasts of _Dark Capriccio_, the beams of dark energy scouring the area with impunity. Hoteye dived into the ground to avoid the wild barrage of attacks, and Cobra was forced to dodge the energy blasts on instinct; he could no longer hear anything in Brain's heart but death to Uzumaki Naruto.

Naruto took to the skies once more, spiraling jets of wind blasting from his palms and feet as he soared through the air. The distance he had put between himself and Brain gave him plenty of time to avoid his _Dark Capriccios_, as he weaved between the flashing beams of dark power. With boiling hot rage consuming Brain, he became so focused on the airborne Naruto that he blotted out all of his peripheral awareness. Hence, it was almost a formality as a clone of Naruto snuck up on the oblivious leader of Oración Seis, and executed him with extreme prejudice.

_Kubikiribōchō_ drank sweet arterial blood for the second time that day, as Brain's head came off his shoulders with little fanfare. Naruto thought Momochi Zabuza would have been rather proud of him at that moment, acting like a real _shinobi_ and doing _Kubikiribōchō_'s infamous reputation justice. As the white-haired man's body crumpled to the ground gracelessly, Klodoa hopped up, the sentient staff intent on catching Naruto by surprise. The Uzumaki, eyes trained on Cobra, didn't even blink as he smashed the wooden construct with the flat side of _Kubikiribōchō_, shattering the staff into splinters. Klodoa's skull fell right into Naruto's path, and the blond man stomped on the cranium remorselessly.

Hoteye emerged from the ground to stand beside Naruto. "Uzumaki-san, Cobra has a form of _Sound Magic_ that allows him to hear your innermost thoughts and predict your attacks."

"Thanks for the heads-up, Richard-san," Naruto nodded tersely. "You don't have to kill your former teammates if you don't want to. I can handle Cobra alone."

"I shall stay out of your way then, Uzumaki-san. Good luck," Hoteye murmured, taking a step back to watch the final clash.

"I've been salivating for this moment since you killed Cubellios, bastard," Cobra hissed sibilantly, whip-like tentacles of poison dancing around his body. "Now with no one to get in my way, I'll make you regret the moment you tried to cook all of us with that black fire of yours!"

"_Sound Magic_, huh?" Naruto murmured, unperturbed by Cobra's death threat. "I wonder…"

With a flick of his wrist, a guitar popped into existence. The Poison Dragon Slayer scoffed loudly at his mortal enemy's weapon, and from his mouth unleashed a powerful _Poison Dragon's Roar_. Naruto strummed the guitar, recalling the musical lessons from Mira and the magical guitar lessons from Vidaldus. Cobra howled in agony, clutching his ears as his strongest attack petered out to nothing, Naruto barely having to shift his body to avoid the last wisps of poison. Naruto shook his head in mild disbelief as he walked closer to Cobra, channeling chakra through his guitar as he played a simple set of chords.

"To think you'll be rendered helpless by a guitar of all things," Naruto remarked, standing in front of Cobra, who had fallen to his knees as his ears bled freely. "I guess I'm lucky in that regard, having people I can learn the instrument from. Goodbye, Cobra. I'll see you in hell eventually."

A small whirlwind surrounded his right hand, and he swiped it along the guitar, enveloping the musical instrument in a wreath of cutting winds. Though the music had finally stopped, Cobra only had time to look up at his executioner before Naruto lopped his head off with his guitar. More blood splashed onto Naruto's garments, but it was inconsequential to the man who had just singlehandedly ended the threat of Oración Seis. Sending his guitar back into his storage seal with a snap of his hand, Naruto bent down to study Cobra's body.

The body was still pulsing with a small amount of energy despite Cobra's passing. The blond _shinobi_ would have completely missed it had he been completely out of sage chakra. As luck would have it, he still had a modicum of sage chakra left; enough for him to run an eye over Cobra's corpse. Naruto focused on his chakra sense, superimposing it over his regular vision to allow him to see Eternano and its flow. There was still a good concentration of magic in Cobra's upper abdomen, a sphere of throbbing energies.

Sheathing his right hand in wind chakra, Naruto played doctor, slicing open Cobra's thoracic abdomen with surgical efficiency. Ignoring the uncomfortable sensation of sticking his hand into a dead man's guts, Naruto fumbled inside Cobra's body until he felt something smooth and definitely foreign. His fingers struggled to find purchase on the smooth and bloody object, but eventually he got his hands on the sphere and ripped it out of Cobra. It was a transparent ball of purplish-black energy, about the size of a grapefruit.

"That is the dragon lacrima that was implanted in Cobra when he was but a child," Hoteye commented, rising from the earth behind the crouching Naruto. "The lacrima is worth a lot of money. I'm surprised you know that Cobra is a second generation dragon slayer."

"I don't. I merely sensed the power of the lacrima from inside his body," Naruto mumbled, dumping the lacrima into the storage seal on his wrist as he did Angel's Celestial Spirit keys.

Standing up, Naruto snapped his fingers, dispelling both his barriers and the clone that was managing the movement of _Nirvana_. Naruto groaned in hurt as the memories hit him, along with the magical control linkage to _Nirvana_ that started draining his energies greedily. Wiping a droplet of blood from his nose, Naruto shook away the cobwebs in his head as he gazed northwards, a soft sigh of relief escaping his lips as the breathtaking vista of a sparkling blue ocean greeted his weary azure orbs. If the overbearing stench of blood was not currently filling his nostrils, he reckoned he might even be able to smell the salty sea breeze. It was a beautiful view; one he figured would be as good as any for the final chapter of his story.

"Someone needs to walk _Nirvana_ deep enough that no one can ever salvage it. It's time for you to disembark, Richard-san," Naruto spoke.

"You don't have to be the one to do this, Uzumaki-san. I'm the criminal. Your presence is still needed to protect our world," Hoteye argued. "All I request will be for you to help me find my brother and make sure he's safe."

"I…I can't do that to you, Richard-san," Naruto shook his head in disagreement.

Hoteye smiled sincerely, patting the distraught blond man on the shoulder comfortingly. "You said earlier you promised someone never to sacrifice your life, didn't you? You can keep the promise now. It's not good to break your word, you know."

But before he could make a decision, his thought processes were brought to a juddering halt as the king's area they were standing upon started to rotate. Shocked, Hoteye and Naruto exchanged concerned gazes as the floor began to spiral open from the centre of the octagonal tower, the control pillar that was _Nirvana_'s first stage slowly rising through the gap. The destruction seal that Naruto had written on the pillar was still present, but it was hardly something that allayed their worry. Before either could voice their puzzlement at this turn of events, the pillar was suddenly ensconced in a blazing white light.

The beam of light pierced the clouds above, scattering the formations and leaving a clear blue sky behind. Then, Naruto and Hoteye watched in alarm as black, writhing tendrils of energy swiftly became visible high up in the sky. They were sucked towards the pillar of light, slowly turning the beam darker. Naruto didn't have time to question the bizarre scene as he was suddenly brought to his knees. Hoteye let out a cry of concern as the blond man clutched his head, moaning in great pain as he slowly pushed himself back to his feet, his head still bent forwards.

"Uzumaki-san, are you all right?" Hoteye asked worriedly.

"Yes…" Naruto grunted, grinding his teeth. "I…I think that…this is the…third stage…Roubaul didn't tell me…that it would…activate…on its own…"

As Hoteye was about to question Naruto about what he meant, a broiling hot wave of fire descended upon the duo. The orange-haired mage was just aware enough to bring up a wave of earth to smother the fire. Naruto hobbled around, cursing as he spotted Natsu hovering in the air with Happy's aid. The fiery man looked incensed as he pointed at Naruto, gnashing his sharp teeth together in barely restrained fury.

"I knew it!" Natsu roared. "You're working with Oración Seis! You bastard, I'll kill you!"

"No, wait!" Hoteye exclaimed, but it was too late.

Natsu went into a nosedive, headed straight for Naruto. Hoteye was about to grab Naruto and dive into the ground for cover, but the blond man pushed him aside and out of Natsu's way instead. The former Oración Seis member could only stare in horror as a flaming fist smashed into Naruto's cheek, sending him careening across the king's area. Natsu chose to hover over the platform, knowing that landing on _Nirvana_ would mean motion sickness. But even so, he could feel himself getting ill as the horrible odour of congealing blood pervaded his nose, causing him to dry heave. Happy voiced his concern, but Natsu quickly regained a hold of himself, wiping his lips with his arm as he waited for Naruto to climb back up to his feet.

The blond man's eyes were shadowed as he rose, his arms hanging limply from his hunched shoulders. A soft chuckle filled the air, and slowly, the laughter grew in volume until it was practically maniacal. Naruto threw his head back, clutching his stomach as he became hysterical. Natsu shifted his body into a defensive pose as he studied the strange behaviour, unsure of what to make of it. Then, the laughter abruptly stopped, and Naruto snapped his head back. He gazed at Natsu with his storm gray eyes, a crazed grin splitting his cheeks. As blood dribbled from his nostrils, the blond ninja licked the liquid away, causing Natsu to recoil lightly.

"Ah, Natsu, Natsu, Natsu," the man clucked his tongue, the wicked grin refusing to leave his features. "You want a piece of me, don't you? For hurting everyone on Fairy Tail? So c'mon then, I'm here, you're here, let's settle this like…what did you call it? Like men? Yea, let's do that."

"W-What's happening?" Happy muttered, wide-eyed as Naruto laughed crazily once more. "He sounds…different."

"W-What's happening?" Naruto jutted his jaw out in mockery, mimicking the stuttering cat. "What's happening is that I'm going to take this baby for a ride, and kill everyone in Magnolia Town! That's what's happening, Happy~~"

_Nirvana_ jerked backwards suddenly, as the giant eight-legged machine slowly backtracked, moving in the complete opposite direction as before. That was the clearest indicator to Hoteye that Naruto had been twisted by _Nirvana_, for he was no longer guiding the walking city into the ocean as he originally planned, but towards civilization.

"He's not the same Uzumaki-san as before…" Hoteye said in despair, adjusting his footing to compensate for _Nirvana_ suddenly switching directions. "He's been changed by _Nirvana_! We have to stop him!"

"Aren't you a bad guy?" Natsu scratched the back of his head.

"I was changed by _Nirvana_ too. So now I'm one of you," Hoteye smiled at Natsu, before he furrowed his brow. "But Uzumaki-san was connected to _Nirvana_ when this…third stage happened. I think _Nirvana_ is collecting all the evil of the world, and channeling it to him."

"What?! So now he's the bad guy, and you're not?" Natsu growled in frustration. "But you're supposed to be a bad guy, and he's supposed to be an asshole dressed up as a good guy? Argh! I'm confused!"

"He's not a bad guy, he's just being turned bad by _Nirvana_. I don't know how to stop _Nirvana_, but if we can stop him, I think we can stop both," Hoteye stated, keeping a vigilant eye on Naruto, wary of the man who was capable of killing all of Oraciȯn Seis on his own. "We have to hurry, before _Nirvana_ gets out of the forest and starts wreaking havoc in towns and cities."

However, Naruto seemed content to just watch as Hoteye and Natsu discussed matters. "Are you guys done? I'm getting bored, and I'm not the one who's wasting time here~~"

"Shut up, asshole! I'm going to turn you to ashes!" Natsu growled. "I'm glad Erza sent me here first! I get to be the one to beat you to a pulp!"

"Confident, aren't we?" Naruto smirked derogatorily, stretching his arm out towards Natsu and gesturing for him to attack the ninja.

"What are you waiting for then? Bring. It. On."

* * *

**Author's Notes:** My god! An update in less than a week? Dayum!

Not the best ending ever, but it'll do. Hardest fight scene I've written yet. 6 different characters in one big melee! If I didn't kill Angel right from the start...

Have an internet cookie if you expected Stage 3 _Nirvana_. I hope I'm the first author to do it. That would be cool beans.

How it's activated is up to your own interpretation. Could be that it needs a blood offer, or five human sacrifices (aka five dead Oración Seis members). Or just Roubaul being a forgetful twit and not telling Naruto it'll activate automatically.

I figured that if the Nirvits were gunning for world peace, they had to convert every bad guy into a good guy, forcibly. Stage 1/2 can't do that. So there must be a Stage 3 at least. And that sets up the second phase of the fight, Naruto vs. Light Team. I wonder if anyone has been anticipating this moment since Naruto left Fairy Tail.

If you think Naruto's plan is stupidly convoluted, I'll explain again. Jellal wanted to destroy _Nirvana_ by blowing up the control pillar thingamajig. Who's not to say someone can repair it? Sinking it into the ocean sounds like a far better plan. And hell, if Oración Seis can't get _Nirvana_, they can still go around killing people. Naruto's not that irresponsible to just let them go. He can go guerilla and kill them one by one, but when are you going to get the opportunity for all of them to be in one place at one time, under your conditions and rules?

And the whole destroy-_Nirvana_-when-I-die thing is a backup plan. Plus it may force Oración Seis to hold back, which gives Naruto an advantage. Or you can see the sink-it-in-the-sea plan as the backup, it doesn't really matter. It's a double-layered thing. And Naruto didn't choose to just let _Nirvana_ walk them to their deaths because he doesn't know if Oración Seis has some way to escape. Just in case.

Now **I'm** confused. Whatever. At least the battle was cool.

As for why Naruto can't just _Hiraishin_ his ass out of his own barrier, it's a _space-time_ barrier. I didn't say it explicitly in the story, but it's clearly designed to trap Uchihas with their _Hax-ingan_, not mages. Who in _Fairy Tail_ (besides Zeref/dragons who are 'myths') necessitates designing such a powerful barrier anyway? So no teleporting out of his barriers with _Kamui_ or _Hiraishin_. He can't use _Amaterasu_ either, because Midnight can use that to break his barrier.

I like to restrain my characters with all sorts of limiters. Makes the battles more interesting. Although Oración Seis mostly died in underwhelming ways. Zero didn't even turn up. But that's how ninjas should roll, so I'm not apologising for that.

If you find Naruto's strength inconsistent with previous fight scenes, keep in mind he didn't really want to kill any of his other opponents. But he has no qualms about killing Oración Seis. He thinks it's necessary.

Oh, and did anyone notice the irony? Normally it's the bad guys killing the good guys' precious people. And it's the good guys that knock sense into the bad guys. I had Naruto kill Cobra/Brain's precious people, and Natsu knock the _evil_ into Naruto. Hehe.

I hope I haven't turned people off with the violence. Time to go find a psychiatrist...


	21. Chapter 20: Absolution

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto or Fairy Tail.

**WARNING:** Explicit sexual language and violation of modesty.

* * *

**Chapter 20: Absolution (X784)**

There was much to admire about Natsu and Happy's excellent coordination as the dragon slayer sped towards Naruto while carried by the flying cat, a grim determination settling on his features. Hoteye was quick to support their assault, turning the ground beneath Naruto soft, trapping the man's legs from knee down under a thick, layer of liquefied concrete that congealed almost immediately after. Unfortunately for them, the blond ninja was completely unfazed by the onrushing pink-haired mage, nor the restriction of his mobility. Instead, he just cackled as his fist flashed out, faster than anyone Natsu had ever faced. The powerful punch to his face completely reversed his momentum, and the dragon slayer was sent flying back, Happy unable to correct his friend's trajectory.

Without wasting time, the orange-haired former dark mage waved his hands. More liquid ground rose in front of Hoteye, the wave splitting to allow Natsu pass before converging into a single wave once more. The torrent of earth towered over the immobile form of Naruto, threatening to drown him. Happy just about managed to haul Natsu into an upright position in front of Hoteye to watch as the wave crashed into Naruto's position, only to disappear as it came into contact with the man's outstretched left hand. They could only watch in stunned silence as the blond man aimed his right hand to the side, and the wave barreled out of his palm, leaving Naruto completely unharmed.

"Mmm, mmm, mmm!" Naruto hummed, taking an exaggerated whiff of the air. "I do love the smell of the freshly dug earth. Reminds me of the graves I'd like to dig for all of you!"

The ninja slowly rose out of the miniature quagmire his feet were stuck in, until he was standing atop Hoteye's liquid earth. He made a show of crouching, readying himself to attack. Natsu and Hoteye tensed, but no amount of mental preparation could cope with speed they didn't have reflexes to react to. He flickered out of sight, appearing in front of Hoteye in less than the blink of an eye. A crushing blow to his gut bowled over the former Oración Seis member, the orange-haired man collapsing to his knees, coughing uncontrollably. Natsu, with Happy's help, spun around and powered towards Naruto, fists encased in fire and feet spurting out more flames for propulsion.

Naruto easily sidestepped Natsu's charge, and before the pink-haired fire mage could pull off a _Fire Dragon's Brilliant Flame_, Naruto raised his knee beneath the Fire Dragon Slayer. The deceptively strong hit bent Natsu nearly in half as spittle flew out of the fire wielder's mouth, his breath knocked out of him. Naruto didn't follow up on his attack though, which allowed Happy to drag Natsu away from the blond man to where Hoteye had stumbled to in retreat. Naruto shook his head slowly, wagging his finger in mock disappointment.

"This won't do…no, this won't do at all!" the ninja clucked his tongue, before planting his hands on his hips. "I'm not even breaking a sweat here! C'mon, at least give me a challenge! This isn't fun at all!"

Natsu growled, and blasted off once more, his entire body now engulfed in fierce flames. Two separate waves of earth rose on either side of Naruto, surging towards the blond man in an attempt to trap him long enough for Natsu's _Fire Dragon's Sword Horn_ to hit. Boxed in from three sides, most people would have retreated back to get some space. Instead, the blond _shinobi_ stepped forward, pirouetting around Natsu and plucking Happy off of the dragon slayer's back as the duo passed him. The Fairy Tail member, suddenly lacking his partner, was powerless to stop himself from flying right into the space where Naruto was standing earlier, just as the two earthen waves from Hoteye were about to collide.

The orange-haired mage only just managed to divert his dirt away from Natsu, sparing the pink-haired fire mage a premature burial. The two waves turned and combined as they rushed at Naruto once more. Scoffing, Naruto raised his unoccupied hand, redirecting the torrent of earth to a random _Hiraishin_ _kunai_ on the ground, scattered from the earlier battle. As the wave of dirt vanished, it revealed Natsu as he leapt at Naruto, roaring out his challenge. Fists aflame, he was about to launch into a barrage of explosive punches when Happy was thrown right at him. The unexpected attack took Natsu by surprise, his blue companion bouncing off his face and obscuring his vision.

A foot planted itself in Natsu's bruised stomach, and the Fairy Tail mage was sent careening away, trying desperately to control his flight with bursts of fire from his feet. A chain had snagged Happy as he tried to fly towards Natsu, reeling him back into Naruto's grasp. Another wave of earth tried to sweep Naruto off his feet from behind, but the man's reflexes were equal to that. The ninja back-flipped, and while in midair, his hands flashed out, a _Hiraishin_ _kunai_ slashing a thin cut across Hoteye's geometrically-shaped cheeks. The man vanished, reappearing where his _kunai_ was in mid flight. As he grabbed the knife to stab down at Hoteye's shoulder, the man ducked, raising his hands in a motion akin to warding off evil.

A geyser of earth erupted upwards from below Naruto, but the man just winked out of existence once more, appearing at another _kunai_. Happy struggled mightily in his hand, tiny wings fluttering dementedly. But Naruto had a vice grip on the cat as he held Natsu's best friend by the top of his head. Naruto swung the Exceed around to be used as an inadequate shield, forcing Natsu to redirect the _Fire Dragon's Roar_ that he had fired at Naruto. With deftness, the fire mage made his flames circle around Naruto even as he spat out the last fumes and let his _Fire Dragon's Claw_ continue propelling him towards the blond mage whilst keeping him off the moving vehicle that was _Nirvana_.

Natsu lunged for Happy, hands outstretched, but he only received a boot to the face for his efforts. His _Fire Dragon's Roar_ was dissipated with a gust of wind, and Natsu could only watch helplessly as Naruto manhandled his dearest friend. The fire mage barely noticed as he fell onto a rippling platform of liquid earth, keeping him off _Nirvana_ and just about staving off the motion sickness. Naruto brought Happy up to his face, knitting his brow at the Exceed. His fingers dug into the flying cat's skull, the pressure causing unwitting tears to leak from the Exceed's round eyes. With a loud scoff and a dose of _Sleep Magic_, Naruto tossed an unconscious Happy uncaringly over the edge of the tower, the tiny cat disappearing from view.

Natsu wanted to dive for his friend, but an earthen wall rose to block off his path. Hoteye shook his head as he rose out of the ground beside Natsu, speaking up before the pink-haired mage could remonstrate. "If you go and retrieve your friend now, he'll take advantage of you turning your back on him. Your friend will be safe from him for now as well."

"Ah, Richard-san, don't tell him my plans~~" Naruto whined mockingly, clutching at his hair. "You're such a party pooper. I'm going to call you Dick from now on!"

"Shut up, you asshole!" Natsu howled, his earlier feeling of helplessness overwhelmed by a growing desire for revenge. "You hurt Happy! I'll never forgive you!"

"Oooh, I'm so scared~~" Naruto grabbed his cheeks, his jaw agape in fake terror. He then smirked, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "You oughta be happy I didn't just kill off that little critter. I thought he might make a cute pet, y'know, in a birdcage and all, so I saved him for later. My friends will go nuts if they see I had me a talkin', flyin' cat!"

Natsu blasted off the platform that Hoteye had conjured for him, his features twisted by a bestial snarl. As Naruto tried to sidestep the flaming human missile, Natsu swiveled his body, clawing at Naruto as he spun to face the sky. The _Fire Dragon's Crushing Fang_ was snuffed out in an instant, along with all the fire on Natsu's body. The dragon slayer barely had time to register his flames suddenly dying out as Naruto grabbed his arm by the wrist, tugging on the appendage as he lashed out at the Fairy Tail mage's side with his left foot. Natsu's scream was soundless as the angled stomp crushed his innards and cracked his pelvis. Naruto fluidly kept up the attack, smashing his left fist into Natsu's sternum, driving the air out of his lungs.

As Natsu collapsed limply onto the cold ground of the king's area, motion sickness proving absolutely no help to his recovery from the assault, Naruto scoffed. He ground his foot into Natsu's hip, eliciting a pained groan from the sick and battered mage. "God, but you're pathetic. It's no fun playing with someone who can't even entertain me properly."

Naruto leaned downwards, putting his lips close to Natsu's ears. "But if you scream loud enough, I might just derive a little pleasure from this lame fight. Will you scream for me?"

Twisting Natsu's left arm around so his elbow was facing Naruto, the blond man proceeded to slam his forearm down on the joint, completely breaking the limb. A howl of unbridled agony erupted from the dragon slayer's lips as his broken bones protruded from his flesh, white shards spraying out of the gruesome wound. Blood sprayed all over Naruto's pants as he continued holding on to Natsu's wrist, which was hanging onto his body by thin strips of muscle and hope. Naruto sneered as he let go of the pink-haired mage, drawing out another whimper from the man as his decimated arm contacted the hard ground.

"Ah~~" Naruto inhaled deeply. "Music to my ears."

Fixing a half-lidded stare at Hoteye, Naruto smiled cruelly. "And it seems my day's going to get even better! I see another person who can help me compose my little melody. Let's have lots of fun together, Dick-san~~"

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Erza swallowed her apprehension, as the gigantic structure of _Nirvana_ grew ever larger in their sights. She had sent Natsu ahead, but for all the faith she had in the pink-haired dragon slayer, he was still only one man. Oración Seis were six, and they had _Nirvana_ to boot. As the alliance thinned out the dark mages that were working under Oración Seis, Erza was prompted by Jura to go ahead and join Natsu in fighting the main threat, while the rest of them mopped up the last of the mages that were distracting them from _Nirvana_.

Kurama proved to be a steed far faster than any vehicle Erza had ridden upon, bar perhaps the train. They closed the distance between _Nirvana_ and themselves in a jiffy, each stride of the massive fox covering huge distances. It also helped that the superstructure suddenly changed directions, and moved towards them instead of away as it did previously. In a few gigantic leaps, the massive canine bounded up one of the enormous legs of the walking city, Erza clutching onto his neck hairs with a deathly grip. Standing at the edge of the walking city, the huge fox took a deep sniff of the air, his black nose crinkling in distaste.

"**I smell blood**," Kurama muttered cautiously. "**A lot of it.**"

"Is it close?" Erza urged, worried for her comrade.

"**No, but it's straight ahead though,**" Kurama pointed his snout at the tower that rose above all the buildings on _Nirvana_. "**I'm guessing it's coming from the tower.**"

"Then let's make haste and support Natsu," Erza stated, giving the fur in her hands a little tug.

The fox nodded firmly, and traversed the empty city at great speed. A sudden cloud of dirt and dust erupted from the top of the tower moments later, followed by loud noises of falling debris from within the tower. Kurama sped up even further, and proceeded to burst through the concrete wall at the bottom of the tower with great force. Skidding to a halt, they were greeted with the sight of Naruto standing over an orange-haired man, whom Hibiki had informed was the Oración Seis member known as Hoteye. A ray of sunlight shone through the hole from the top of the tower, illuminating the two combatants in its warm glow.

Erza found herself relaxing, glad to see the blond mage alive and well. _So he's alive. I shouldn't have expected otherwise. He must have left a decoy with us to keep Oración Seis unaware of his movements. It looks like he has everything in control here._

Then, he bent down and put his hand over Hoteye's face. The orange-haired man screamed himself hoarse as Naruto did something to the dark mage, before pulling his hand away. Hoteye turned his head towards Kurama and Erza, scarlet liquid pouring out of two hollow eye sockets and drenching his face. Naruto straightened himself, humming a soft tune under his breath as he juggled two small items with one hand. When Hoteye continued screaming, scrabbling at his face futilely, Naruto kicked him in the side in annoyance.

"Oh, stop whining and get up already," the man kicked the _Liquid Ground_ mage again, uncaring of the excruciating pain Hoteye was suffering from. "People in my world took out their eyes all the time, and I haven't heard a single person complain about it yet. And they even did it themselves! I spared you the work of plucking your own eyes out. You ought to be grateful for that!"

"Naruto-san…what on earth…" Erza clenched her armoured fist, unable to believe her eyes.

"Oh! Look, it's Erza-chan!" Naruto's face visibly brightened. He then took a look at the eyeballs in his palm, and transferred one to the other hand. Holding them out with his thumbs and index fingers, he wriggled the ocular organs at the crimson-haired mage, giggling madly. "Hey, Dick-san, can you see Erza-chan too? I'm aiming your eyes right at her! She's such a pretty little thing, isn't she?"

Hoteye let out a soft sob, his screams having petered out. Naruto knitted his eyebrows, clucking his tongue as he crushed Hoteye's chest under his foot. With shearing winds encasing his leg, it was one of the most grisly scenes Erza had ever witnessed. Blood sprayed in all directions as a massive hole was drilled into the Oración Seis member's chest, the cutting nature of the wind eviscerating the former dark mage with extreme prejudice. Bits of bone and organ tissue flew out of the fallen man's thorax, and only when Naruto's foot was completely through the orange-haired mage's chest did he remove it, his pants soaked in blood and covered in gore.

Hoteye's body twitched spastically on the ground for a short moment before it finally stilled, leaving a deathly silence hovering over the three living beings in the area. Kurama's hackles rose as he rolled his shoulders, a signal for Erza to dismount. The woman slid off the large canine silently, the horrible scene that played out in front of her so jarring that she could only stare dumbly at the corpse of Hoteye bleeding out on the ground. It was contrary to everything she thought she knew of Naruto, and it was not the best time to find out such things about him either.

"Such terrible manners, Dick-san," Naruto berated the cooling corpse as if he were chiding a child. "You were supposed to praise Erza-chan's beauty, not lie down there and pretend to be hurt!"

"**There's something wrong with him,**" Kurama rumbled, bending his forelegs in a mild crouch. "**He'll never play with his opponents like that. Nor will he do any of…what he just did.**"

Erza stiffened at the fox's words, before breaking free of the numbing shock. Nodding at the sentient animal, she dispelled her regular armour, donning an all black number. Two bat-like wings spread from her back, before folding down slightly to give her a slimmer profile. Gripping her sword with both hands, she held the blade closer to her body in a defensive posture. She wasn't sure how this version of Naruto would fight, and she didn't think rushing in blindly would do any good against a man who had speed that outstripped her _Flight Armour_, and the reflexes to go with it. Not to mention he had completely destroyed her _Purgatory Armour_ in a single move once before. She had confidence in her _Adamantine Armour_ to hold up against any of his attacks, but the crippling lack of mobility kept her from choosing that particular set.

_And with his speed, I cannot afford to be unable to react to his attacks. He might just have a spell that can pierce my armour,_ Erza evaluated, bending at the knees. _Given the circumstances, sacrificing some defence for mobility and attack power seems more appropriate. He doesn't seem to be too interested in using something that can break my armours, but at the same time, going for all out speed and sacrificing defence will only tempt fate._

"Hmm…the magic in these eyes are fading fast," Naruto remarked blithely, staring at the organs with little interest. "Useless to me then."

Tossing them over his shoulder without a second glance, Naruto wolf-whistled as his eyes roved over Erza's armour-clad body, lingering on her cleavage before his lustful gaze met her narrowed eyes. "Erza-chan, you really shouldn't wear stuff that's so revealing, ya know? It's not nice to tease guys like that."

Erza barely caught his sprint as he blurred into motion, before coming to a dead stop in front of her. She raised her sword up, swinging down and hoping to catch Naruto as he invaded her personal space. The blond ninja's right palm moved into the path of her wrists, blocking the motion and killing her vertical slash before she could bring it lower than her head. Chains sprouted from the palm, wrapping around her hands and binding them together tightly. As the crimson-haired woman lashed out with her armoured right knee, Naruto smacked her inner thigh while twisting his hips, diverting the knee away from his body.

Naruto took a small step forwards, planting his right leg between hers. His left hand caught her leg beneath her right thigh, and proceeded to slide up her body. The motion pulled her closer to Naruto as the gloved hand ran over the black metal, leaving a bloody trail in its wake. His arm wrapped around her waist as his palm settled on the small of her back, pressing Erza up against him. Her armoured chest clacked against his bloodied cuirass, his head positioned over her right shoulder. His hot breath washed over the side of her face as he chuckled perversely, taking a deep whiff of her scent.

"…And it's not safe too, because you never know when a predator might be…_on the prowl_," the blond _shinobi_ purred, before licking the shell of her ear.

Recoiling, she raised her knee to try and crush his groin. Instead, more chains sprouted from the ground, anchoring her foot to the floor. She only managed to escape his clutches when the blond man was forced to drop all of his chains and jump out of the way of a giant paw that smashed into the ground where he stood. Kurama stood in front of her protectively, a deep growl escaping his maw.

"**The smell of the blood is coming from the top of the tower,**" Kurama said, his eyes focusing intently on the smirking Naruto. "**Natsu might be hurt. We'll need his power against Naruto…and the strength of anyone who's still alive.**"

"What about you?" Erza questioned concernedly. "He's no ordinary foe."

"**I've fought beside him for long enough. I know what he can do. I can handle him for a while,**" Kurama replied confidently. "**Go! See if you can find out what happened to him as well!**"

Nodding, Erza took off, her _Black Wing Armour_ allowing her to make the short flight upwards without too much trouble. Naruto's storm gray orbs followed her path, and as she disappeared through the skylight he had inadvertently made when fighting Hoteye, he heaved a deep sigh of disappointment. "You're as much of a party pooper as Dick-san was, Kurama-chan. I thought you loved boobies? Shouldn't you be more understanding, hmm?"

"**This isn't you, Naruto,**" the fox barked. "**You're not putting up an act again, are you?**"

"Me? Acting? So I can keep myself away from all the lovely ladies?" Naruto grinned maniacally. "Puh-lease. I can't wait to get to Magnolia in my swanky new ride, and show it off to Mira-chan. I hope she'll be so impressed that she'll sink right down to her knees…if you catch my drift."

"**Then you must have been turned by _Nirvana_,**" Kurama surmised. "**But your will should be strong enough to fight it off…**"

"Maybe it's _Nirvana_," Naruto shrugged, the crazed smile stretching even wider. "Or maybe I'm just sick of babysitting little brats like Natsu~~"

Kurama's eyes narrowed. "**What did you do to Natsu? What's Erza going to find up there?**"

"Who knows?" Naruto shrugged his shoulders once more. "But this is all kinda suspicious, y'know? You claim you know how I fight, and I suppose you do. You tell Erza-chan you can handle me for a while. But all you're doing is just talkin' to me. Are you trying to convince me away from havin' my own spot of fun? Or are ya cleverly dragging out the conversation and giving Erza-chan time to get back here with Natsu?"

"**Why don't you try and shut me up then?**" Kurama taunted, playing along with Naruto. The blond ninja cackled as he launched forwards at his former partner, the sharp whistle of cutting winds filling the cavernous room they stood in.

"As you wish!"

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She thought she would be ready for whatever she would face when she reached the top of the tower. She thought she had seen the worst of the brutality this evil form of Naruto could come up with. She certainly didn't expect to be holding her bile back at the stomach-churning stench of blood and the morbid mess of human body parts scattered around the king's area. Any spot not covered in upturned earth from Hoteye's attacks was slick with coagulating blood. The central pillar was ablaze with energy, but that was the least of Erza's concerns at the moment.

Her keen eyes managed to spot the distinctive white scarf of Natsu amidst the sea of crimson, and she quickly reached his side, crouching by the prone dragon slayer. Biting her lip, she struggled to figure out what she could possibly do to help her friend. His face was pale, but it was clearly not a result of his motion sickness. Lying in a large pool of scarlet fluid, it was clear that without immediate medical help, Natsu might just lose his life. Her mind screamed at her to sever his left forearm and device a tourniquet to stem his blood loss. But Wendy wasn't that far away, and the loss of an arm could be devastating for the dragon slayer's career as a mage.

Taking a few deep breaths to calm herself, she tried to think of ways she could reach Wendy and bring her to their location as quickly as possible. The first option that came to mind was Naruto, but that was impossible under the circumstances. She _might_ be able to beat him if she pulled out all the stops and took him by surprise, but she would unlikely be in time to save Natsu from being completely drained of vitality. She had no form of communication with the rest of the alliance, as no one had thought as far as that. She dearly wished she knew a spot of _Telepathy_ at that moment.

Her train of thought was rudely interrupted not moments later, as the hulking mass of Kurama came hurtling through the concrete, blowing an even larger hole to go with the one Naruto had made with Hoteye. The vulpine animal was folded in half, Naruto under the massive fox with his fist buried deep into Kurama's stomach. They came to a halt hovering near the tip of the white pillar in the centre of the king's area, and Naruto winked at Erza as he tossed the limp body of his former partner down through the gap he had just come through. The resulting impact of the fox hitting the bottom of the tower shook the structure, a tense silence following right after.

Naruto, still hovering in the air, slowly lowered himself to the king's area. As Erza studied the mad grin on his lips, she suddenly realized she could use his current arrogance and nonchalance to her advantage. Leaning down to whisper a few words of encouragement to Natsu, she stood up, raising her hands into the air in the universal gesture of surrender. The blond ninja walking towards her then paused in his tracks, before pouting childishly as he folded his arms in a huff.

"Surrendering? That's no fun at all, Erza-chan," Naruto griped. "I was hoping I'll get more of a challenge from you than the lump of flesh at your feet."

"I'm not in top shape right now, after fighting Oración Seis' subordinate guilds," Erza explained, her heart thumping madly in her chest. Cons were _not_ her specialty. "But if I had Wendy here to heal me up to full strength, I can provide you the challenge you are seeking."

Naruto tapped his chin in false thoughtfulness. "Hmm…that wouldn't be a ploy to keep our little lizard boy alive now, would it?"

"O-Of course not," Erza shook her head, lying through her teeth.

Naruto cackled loudly, throwing his head back and clutching his stomach. Erza held her breath as the man laughed uproariously, before he returned his attention on the armoured woman, flashing her a fanged grin. "Oh, Erza-chan, I wouldn't never have expected you to try a cute tactic like that. But I'm a generous guy, so I'll grant you your wish!"

Wendy appeared beside him suddenly, the disorientated girl falling onto her butt as she slipped upon arrival. As she reached to rub her bottom, her hands came into contact with the ground. The little girl froze as she brought her hand up to see it dripping with blood. Naruto laughed once more at the scene, before strafing to the side to avoid Erza's _Moon Slash_. Standing protectively over Wendy, she nudged the girl with her heel. Jolted out of her fear-induced coma, Wendy stared bewilderedly at Erza's winged back.

"Natsu's bleeding out over there," Erza jerked her head in the pink-haired mage's direction. "Hurry!"

Wendy nodded hesitantly, unsure of what was happening. But hearing that one of her friends needed her help was enough as she ran over to the prostrate form of Natsu. Naruto watched the moment with mild amusement, clearly not at all bothered by the idea of Natsu being healed back to full health. The blond man chortled at the sight of Wendy puking her guts out beside Natsu, before shakily holding her hands over his broken arm to begin the healing process. But as much as Erza would like to direct her gaze at where Naruto was looking, she could not. Not when she knew how dangerous the blond man was even if he appeared to be completely relaxed.

When Naruto had enough of watching Wendy trying to hold back her tears while healing Natsu, he swiveled his head to regard Erza once more. His eyes ravished her body with great relish, but Erza refused to be intimidated or disgusted by the man's antics. He was obviously angling for a response from her to heighten the level of his twisted entertainment. True to her predictions, the man's grin curled into another immature pout as he realized he wasn't going to get any reaction out of Erza.

"Ah, if only Lucy-chan was here instead of you, Erza-chan," Naruto grouched inanely. "She's so expressive. Her reactions will be far cuter than yours. But it's fine with me either way~~"

The Uzumaki smirked nastily. "I will really enjoy the moment I finally break you, and get you to scream and cry and beg for me to stop as I defile you over and over again."

"You're sick," Erza stated with conviction.

"Puah! Maybe, but no sicker than girls like you," Naruto remarked, his smile turning lustier with every word he spoke. "You're the closet masochist type, aren't ya? You were hurt before, but instead of overcoming that hurt, you went and hid your pain from others, pretendin' to be strong and shit. Secretly, you want to keep feelin' hurt, because you like it. Especially now that you're a symbol to others, a paragon of strength and virtue, you want to feel vulnerable, don't ya? That pain makes you feel like a real woman. In reality, you can't wait for me to deflower you."

"Enough," Erza hissed, her grip on her sword tightening perceptibly.

"Touched a nerve there, didn't I? Don't worry sweetie, I'll be touching more than just your nerves real soon," Naruto jeered. "Then when I'm done with ya, lil' Wendy-chan can have her turn. I think she might even be more fun to-"

He never completed that sentence, as Erza tore across the distance between them in an instant. She no longer cared about the circumstances that led Naruto to become what he currently was like, only that he had gone too far. While it was upsetting to hear as he described how he wanted to rape her, she could handle herself. She knew she was attractive, and some opponents would try such tactics to unsettle her. Even naming Lucy as a potential 'target' didn't really disturb Erza, for the blonde girl was a beauty in her own right. But mentioning Wendy was crossing a very heavy line; no amount of respect Erza held for the real Naruto would help mitigate her fury.

The blond man merely cackled as he materialized his massive head cleaver in a blast of smoke. Blocking Erza's overhead slash, the blond seemed content to just let the red-haired mage strike at him from various angles and pushing him away from Wendy and Natsu. He only parried and dodged, smiling gleefully as he withstood Erza's skilled barrage. As he blocked a backhand diagonal slash with the flat of _Kubikiribōchō_, Erza surprised him by summoning an identical sword in her other hand and striking at the same point. The blow forced Naruto to bend his knees, the ground splintering and cracking from the power exerted.

With a loud yell, Erza channeled her magic into the blades, releasing it with concussive force. Naruto's huge sword shattered at the point of contact, and a flap of the wings on her armour took Erza safely out of the range of flying shards of metal. Naruto wasn't so lucky, his face and exposed arms getting the brunt of it. But they were no more than cuts, which the man promptly ignored. What he couldn't ignore, however, was that the ground he stood on was right at the edge of the massive hole he made when fighting Kurama. Weakened by the sheer power of Erza's strikes, it suddenly gave way when the blond man tried to take a step.

Knowing he was going to be back in moments, Erza rushed over to Natsu and Wendy. The Fire Dragon Slayer was looking far better than earlier, although his motion sickness was still affecting his cognition and motor skills. Wendy opened her mouth to ask about Naruto, but Erza headed off that question with a raised palm. "I don't know what exactly happened, but Naruto-san's now our enemy. I'm going to need your help. Natsu, where's Happy?"

"He…threw…Happy…off the…tower…" Natsu groaned piteously.

"Okay, change of plans. Wendy, take Natsu and go find Happy. Otherwise, he won't be able to fight with his motion sickness. When you go down the tower, heal Kurama as well. He'll be able to help with the search." Erza commanded. "Can your support spells work from distance?"

Wendy nodded quickly. "It won't last very long, but I don't have to be close by for it to be working."

"That's good enough. Cast the strongest spell you can on me," Erza requested.

Nodding once more, Wendy held her arms out at Erza. A magic circle manifested before her palms. "_Arms X Armor X Vernier_!"

Erza could feel the powerful magic wash over her body, making her feel lighter and stronger. But she didn't need the enhancement to feel the ground beneath her vibrating, signaling that their time was almost up. She quickly ushered the two dragon slayers towards one of the uprights that surrounded the king's area, which had small, near unnoticeable doors that led to the inside of the tower. She prayed that Naruto was still fixated on fighting against her, and wouldn't stop halfway to terrorise Wendy.

To her vast relief, the man burst out of the hole he had fallen through in far too little time to have tried to do anything to Wendy. He looked more amused than annoyed, with nothing more than scuff marks to show for his fall. His pointed stare at the spot where Natsu and Wendy were positioned previously told Erza that he knew of the duo's retreat, but didn't care. Not for the first time in this battle was Erza glad that this version of Naruto was oozing arrogance from every pore. And that conceit was what she was going to take advantage of once more, as she charged headlong at him.

Then, she quickly swapped to her _Flight Armour_, and in a burst of speed that surprised Naruto and even herself, she was already touching down across the yawning gap that Kurama's body had made previously. Blood erupted from various wounds inflicted by Erza's _Sonic Claw_, and the blond ninja's cuirass fell to the ground in a dozen pieces. Without wasting any time, Erza's scanty _Flight Armour_ vanished in a flash of light, to be replaced by a pink, caped ensemble. She wasn't going to dally around, especially when Wendy's support spell was only going to be active for so long. And against a foe like Naruto, she would be better off going all out and hoping he didn't die before he changed back to his original self.

Charging up all the energy she could muster, Erza howled as she leapt at Naruto. Lightning crackled around the sword in her right hand as the blade bristled with increasing power. The man turned around, his broken _Kubikiribōchō_ in mid swing, but even he could see that that would stand no chance against Erza in her _Armadura Fairy_. Instead, he threw the broken sword at the swordswoman, the blade flying straight as an arrow. While Erza batted the cleaver aside with the sword in her left hand, the blond man continued spinning on his heels, a bright blue ball of energy whirling into existence in his left hand. As wisps of whitish energy circled the ball, Erza stabbed forwards and released all the power she had built up in her sword instantly.

Wendy and Natsu, riding on a half-healed Kurama's back, only just made it out of the tower as an immense explosion consumed the top of the structure. The shockwave nearly blew Wendy off of Kurama as it leveled everything in its vicinity, the fox running like mad to get out of range of the annihilation. Wendy coughed and spluttered as the dust spread to cover the whole of _Nirvana_. She tried to see past the choking cloud of smoke to find out what happened, but Kurama had veered too far away for her to spot anything. She hoped fervently that everyone would be alive, as she turned her focus back to finding Happy.

Erza panted as she stood at the edge of a shallow bowl that her attack had dug out, her cape now nothing but rags. She was essentially standing at the base of the tower, which had been completely obliterated in the attack. But even so, the central pillar that was protruding from the middle of the king's area remained undamaged, a skinny pole sticking out of the rubble that constituted the remnants of the king's tower. As the dust slowly settled, Erza could see a dark figure standing beside the glowing pillar, the man hunched over.

She didn't let down her guard, however. Her attack had destroyed an entire tower and taken out every building around it, but Naruto was clearly still alive. He was tenacious and powerful, and there was no telling if her attack had mortally wounded him or merely tickled. The answer was somewhere in between, as he stumbled out of the dusty gloom, a crazed grin plastered on his features. His shirt was in tatters, shreds of cloth barely hanging on to his muscular frame. His left arm, the one that wielded the blue ball of energy, was hanging limply from his shoulder, blood streaming down the appendage. He had lost his gloves, boots and his pants from the shin down, and was clearly in a poor shape.

"Fantastic display! Such wonderful strength!" Naruto cackled madly. "It makes me even more pumped up to conquer you!"

"What…on earth…" Erza mumbled in disbelief.

Thinking Erza didn't understand what he meant, Naruto expounded on his words. "Ya see, the joy derived from conquest is proportional to the difficulty. And you, Erza-chan, will make one heck of a conquest! And I shall savour every moment as I drive you into the ground and make you scream my name. In pain or pleasure though…well, we'll find out, won't we~~"

"Please, Naruto-san…please snap out of this," Erza pleaded. If that much force didn't work, then perhaps it was time for words. "This…this isn't you. This isn't the man Mira fell in love with. This isn't the man I have the utmost respect for. You can fight off whatever is influencing you, I'm sure of it!"

"Are you trying to get me to surrender?" the blond man cocked an eyebrow. "Do I look incapable of fighting anymore?"

"You're in a worse condition than I am," Erza pointed out matter-of-factly.

"Pfft. As if that'll stop me from making you my bitch," Naruto scoffed derisively. "How about you change into that sexy _Flight Armour_ for me again, hmm? I bet you're a real _animal_ in bed once you've succumbed to your inner masochist~~"

"Please stop this!" Erza begged. "I don't want to kill you!"

"That's too bad. I was looking forward to facing that righteous anger from earlier, when I mentioned Wendy-chan," Naruto remarked nonchalantly, grinning as he noticed Erza's fists tightening. "It makes ya look real sexy, y'know? I like to break women with a temper. They will fight and fight until they give up and give in to the pleasure. It's a pity Mira-chan's no longer all fire an' brimstone. Ah, the possibilities~~"

"Don't…don't cross that line again," Erza warned, raising her blades slightly. "I…I'll go for a killing blow this time! I mean it!"

"You mean ya haven't been trying to kill me all this while?" Naruto clutched at his heart theatrically. "Man, and here I thought I got you worked up enough to try and kill me! Or am I so weak that lil' Erza-chan feels she has to pull her punches?"

"You're insane," Erza mumbled.

"Insane? You think I'm insane? Well…I'm not denying it!" Naruto laughed crazily. Then, he pointed at something behind Erza. "Oh lookie, here cometh the cavalry~~"

Erza chanced a quick look over her shoulder. Wendy was riding on Kurama, while Happy was carrying Natsu as they charged towards the two combatants, their faces filled with fierce determination. The scarlet-haired swordswoman smiled at the sight of her healthy comrades, before addressing Naruto. "You can't beat all of us. Please give up, Naruto-san, and let us find a way to change you back!"

"Hmm…how about…no!" Naruto giggled, as he waved his right hand.

A blue, shimmering barrier burst into existence just as Natsu was about to reach Erza's side, the dragon slayer slamming comically into the shield. Kurama managed to brake in time, keeping himself from smacking into the barrier like Natsu did. It roughly spanned the circumference of the crater that Erza had made with her attack, and kept Naruto and her isolated from everyone else. The top of the barrier stretched all the way up to the tip of the central pillar, and sealed the pillar within its confines. The glow surrounding the pillar dimmed, but no one gave it a second thought as Natsu banged on the barrier to no avail, plastering his cheek against the shield to try and reach Erza.

"Let me in, you bastard!" Natsu's muffled voice shouted. "I'll show you the strength of Fairy Tail!"

"Ah, that silly rascal. Callin' me a bastard when he's the one who caused this whole fiasco," the blond ninja chuckled dismissively.

"What…what did you mean by that?" Erza demanded. "How did Natsu cause any of this?"

"Oh, ya didn't know? I was my previously emo and wrist-slashin' self, and I had just massacred Oración Seis. Dick-san was turned by _Nirvana_'s first stage, so he was a good guy," Naruto recounted with obvious relish. "Then _Nirvana_ went to stage three and tried to turn me. Lucky for me, Natsu managed to punch and distract me just as I was about to fight off _Nirvana_'s influence! Man, would you believe his timing? It was per~fect!"

Erza was tempted to question Natsu then and there, but it was not the time for recriminations. Naruto was still standing, and she had no idea what sort of tricks he had under his sleeve. "Even if that's the case, what's done is done. And I will do what is necessary to end this fight, even…even if I have to kill you."

"Aww, and I was hoping you could get all mad at Natsu," Naruto stuck his lower lip out, before grinning lustfully. "S'okay, I have other ways of making you feel all hot and bothered~~"

Dozens of chains burst out of the ground around Erza, the _Requip_ mage quickly swinging her blades to keep the metallic links away from her. She recalled that dismal loss she suffered at Naruto's hands before; the chains could absorb her magic, and she wasn't exactly filled to the brim with power now that she had brought out _Armadura Fairy_. Even as she ducked and weaved through the forest of metal, she found herself increasingly caged in.

Gritting her teeth, she unleashed some power through her blades, smashing apart a web of chains that threatened to pin her against the azure barrier. With her path towards Naruto momentarily cleared, she dived through the opening, swords humming with energy. She was outpacing the chains easily, and Naruto seemed shocked by that. Then, his stupefied expression melted away, his lips quirking into a smug grin. His hair suddenly extended, strands twirling together for strength. The hair shot forwards, closing the distance between Erza and Naruto in an instant. As she tried to slash away the locks, they merely split apart to let her swords through.

Then, one strand caught her right wrist. Another snagged her left ankle. Within the blink of an eye, Erza was held spread-eagle by hair of all things, and no amount of struggling and power would afford her the leverage needed to break free of her bindings. The chains retreated back into the ground, and Naruto sauntered in front of Erza, smirking all the way. The hair had wrapped around her arms and legs completely, while a single thick cord was around her waist and her neck. The hair around her forearms squeezed until she let her swords go, disarming her. Naruto reached out to stroke Erza's cheek, the noose around her neck tightening to keep her from twisting away from his touch.

"Such flawless skin you have~~" Naruto whispered, tilting her chin up with a finger. She was not short by any means, but bound and secured, she felt much smaller than Naruto as he loomed over her vulnerable form. "But my goodness, does the most beautiful rose has the thorniest stem."

"I possess more than just thorns to ward off men like you," Erza hissed.

A bright glow encompassed Erza's form, but Naruto did nothing to prevent her change of armour. The _Flame Empress Armour_ was her choice, and it proved an effective one as she unleashed a brilliant flame that surged up the extended locks with fiery intent. Brushing the ashes off of her armour, Erza quickly reverted to the _Armadura Fairy_ as Naruto blew out the fire with a wind technique. The man refused to be aggrieved by how he couldn't trap Erza, and she briefly wondered if he would have applauded her if his left arm were not out of commission.

"You always seem to have a trick to get out of sticky situations," Naruto remarked casually. "Although I really hope you won't have one when I'm having a…_sticky_ situation with you."

"I could say the same to you," Erza replied, hoping that the magical presences of a dozen mages that were approaching had a solution to this particular problem. "And the innuendo isn't going to help you defeat me, Naruto-san."

"That's a pity," the blond man shrugged, an easy smile curling his lips. "I guess if I want to get anything done 'round here, I'll have to break all of your armours, huh?"

"I won't make it easy," the crimson-haired mage declared.

Naruto laughed mirthfully. "And that's what kept me from just breaking you just like I did with the buffoon outside. That, and your breasts are just fantabulous~~"

Then, the man's eyes turned yellow, his pupils morphing into little bars. Before Erza could even blink, the man smashed her into the barrier with a punishing palm to the abdomen, the force of the blow shattering one of her strongest armours instantaneously. All the air in her lungs was driven out, and if not for her armour, Erza was sure she would be spitting blood and not saliva as she struggled to regain her senses. But Naruto didn't relent this time, and prevented her from even thinking of equipping a new set of armour as he reappeared before her, rattling off a flurry of punishing fists. They were weaker than his initial strike, but they were no laughing matter when she didn't have any metal to protect her.

Erza was unable to counter the succession of punches that went by too fast for her to catch, peppering her entire torso haphazardly. The pain from each blow melded together in a cauldron of hurt, and it eroded at her mental faculties. When the combination ended, the pain didn't. Erza slumped over Naruto's torso, her hands clutching weakly onto his shoulders for support. Outside the barrier, Wendy and Natsu were shouting, but their voices were mere whispers to Erza's hazy mind, indecipherable over the sound of blood pounding in her ears and the mind-numbing _pain_.

Her body was about to slip to the ground when a series of chains slithered out of the earth, supporting her weight even as they bound her in a tight cocoon. Left in nothing but white breasts bindings and flame-motif pants, the metallic links were thus pressed against the bare skin of her torso, the cool feel of the metal a soothing balm for her battered flesh. Naruto chuckled lowly as he cupped Erza's chin, but this time, he was using his left hand to do so. The dark glint in his orbs conveyed a terrifying malice as he gently brushed his thumb along the swordswoman's jaw.

"Oh dear, it seems my left arm wasn't as damaged as you thought it was," Naruto murmured, the wicked edge in his voice unmistakable even to the pain-addled mind of Erza. "I wanted to play a little longer, but our audience is about to gett a little larger, and I didn't want to give them too much hope."

The _Christina_ flew into view, the majestic airship less pristine than before. But instead of hijackers riding the vehicle, it was being commandeered by its actual owners, and filled with the most powerful mages of Fiore. Kurama dragged Natsu away from the barriers as _Christina_ extended its cannons from its hull, before unleashing a devastating volley of magical fire upon the barrier. Various members of the alliance peered over the side of the airship to view the results of their assault, but to their dismay, the barrier remained firm.

The airship circled the cylindrical barrier, seeking either a landing spot or a better angle to fire another salvo. Naruto paid no heed to it, instead focusing on the dragon slayers just beyond the translucent shield. Natsu had quickly returned to smacking his fists against the wall, but now using his flames to try and break the shield. Kurama, however, looked resigned, and settled onto his haunches as he watched Naruto carefully. He was speaking with low tones to Wendy, who looked rather frightened as her eyes briefly met Naruto's gray orbs.

"Ah, perhaps I had been hasty in sealing only the two of us in here," Naruto chuckled malevolently. "I do enjoy the taste of fear. And Wendy-chan seems to be filled to the brim with it."

"Leave…her…alone…" Erza croaked.

"Hmm? Shouldn't you be more worried about yourself, Erza-chan? Wendy-chan is standing safely on the other side!" Naruto exclaimed, as the chains spun her around to face her friends. "Look at how desperate they are to get in here and save your pretty little butt. I wonder how they will feel when they see me ravage your body in front of them?"

"Enough…of…your...games…" the swordswoman gasped. "Just…kill…me…already…"

"Just kill you? End things, just like that?" Naruto replied incredulously, as he wrapped his arms around her waist, the chains parting to allow for skin contact. He leaned his chin on her shoulder, a wicked grin on his features as he watched Natsu's rage reach apoplectic levels. "Oh no, that's out of the question. See, I like to savour the…little emotions. And just killing you won't give me any…_pleasure_."

A single hand crept higher, slipping underneath the chains and her dirtied chest bindings. Erza stiffened as the warm palm cupped her breast gently, before beginning to caress her supple flesh. Naruto smirked as he stared out of his barrier, watching Kurama shield Wendy's eyes with his massive body while Natsu went ballistic. "No screaming? No…struggling? I _am_ violating you right now, my beautiful crimson rose~~"

"I…won't…yield…to…your…games…" the scarlet-haired mage hissed, resisting the terror of helplessness that threatened to overwhelm her consciousness.

The _Requip_ mage tensed further as she felt a pair of lips pressed against the crook of her neck, the mouth suckling and nibbling on her creamy skin tenderly. As a slow wave of desire crawled through her veins, she couldn't help but feel utterly disgusted with herself for even responding to the blond man's ministrations. Unbidden, a single tear rolled down her cheek, eliciting a soft chuckle from her torturer.

"A strong woman like you will probably find a brutal rape far less traumatic than a…softer touch. I like to see the way you twist your face as you try to deny the rising desire; to convince yourself that the pleasure you're feeling doesn't exist, to justify to yourself that it's still rape even if it feels oh-so-good," Naruto whispered huskily. "Then watch as you capitulate and beg with teary eyes when I bring you right to the edge, then leave you hanging. Plead for me to drive you mad with pleasure, to succumb to your baser desires. And then, slowly but surely, you'll turn into a decadent, sordid whore who can't live without my touch. Just like your days as a child slave, except this time you're going to be a sex slave! Doesn't that sound lovely?"

"…N-Never…" Erza choked out, fresh tears springing from her left eye. _I…I have to…be stronger…than this…_

"If you say so," the man purred, giving her earlobe a tiny nibble. Goosebumps rose on her arms as she next felt a rough tongue dragging up her cheek, lapping up her tears. Naruto smacked his lips loudly. "Mmm, mmm! I do love the taste of tears. Salty and full of misery."

The other hand of Naruto's made broad strokes across her toned stomach, every brush inching closer to the edge of Erza's pants. As the edge of his palm met the waistband, he suddenly stopped, but didn't do anything to remove his hands from her body. Erza, her eyes squeezed tightly shut, took a brief moment to register the lack of motion from her tormentor before she creaked her eyelids open. Standing beyond the blue barrier were the members of the alliance, although Blue Pegasus was conspicuously missing; likely to still be aboard _Christina_, positioned above and behind the group. Kurama was now blocking three female mages' views of the scene, while Lyon and Gray were looking away to respect Erza's modesty.

Natsu didn't share the same sentiments, but he was too busy raging against a cage made out of rock to notice. Standing directly before them was Jura, his face a mask of impassiveness. He had his arms folded across his wide chest, and his brow knitted. Then, suddenly, the barrier shook with terrifying force, but not enough to dislodge Naruto off of Erza and not enough to destroy the barrier. The Uzumaki smirked as he finally let go of Erza, the woman catapulted towards the pillar. Another set of chains slinked out of the ground at the base of the pillar, replacing those that stemmed from the ground before Naruto as they secured Erza to the white marble.

"That was a good try, Jura-san, but not good enough~~" Naruto gloated. "My barrier goes all around~~"

"Please let Erza-dono go. She has been defeated already. There is no need for you to humiliate her in such a…crude manner," Jura requested politely.

"What? Oh, no, I'm not trying to humiliate her at all! You're too prudish, Jura-san~~" Naruto grinned broadly. "I'm just teaching her about carnal pleasures~~"

"Whatever the reasons you may use to justify your actions, they are deplorable," Jura stated firmly. "I had hoped that even if _Nirvana_ had changed you, you would still retain the moral compass of your true self."

"Moral compass? Oh, this is rich! Do you think my other self was some sort of…beacon of morality?" the blond ninja chortled. "How naïve! You can ask Natsu about the bodies he saw before Erza-chan took out the entire tower. I maimed and mutilated the members of Oración Seis instead of arresting them like I did with those puny dark guilds I destroyed before. Moral compass? Pfft!"

"It does not detract from the fact that your former self did Fiore much good in various guises," the Wizard Saint retorted. "And I'm sure that even if he did end lives, he did so in a merciful way, unlike your derogatory treatment of Erza-dono."

"Mercy? What gave you the impression that bad guys dabbled in mercy?" Naruto giggled madly. "Well, maybe some do, but not me. I don't deal in mercy. I'm a merchant of despair~~"

"I…I truly expected for you to have fought harder against _Nirvana_'s grip on you," the _Earth Magic_ user shook his head despondently.

"What, and stay as that emo, brooding loser? Go back to picking off dark guilds 'for peace'?" the Cait Shelter man replied snidely, before spreading his arms out wide. "No, no…this…this is _way_ more fun. But if you want to blame someone for all this, blame the lizard boy in your cage. He's the one who distracted my stupid self from fighting this awesome transformation."

"Your lies are transparent," the Lamia Scale mage remarked sternly. "Perish the thought of turning us against each other."

The blond man dissolved into deranged laughter. Jura waited patiently as his fellow Wizard Saint expressed his amusement. Naruto shook his head as he wiped a tear from his eye. "Oh dear, that's the best laugh I've had for a while! Why would I have any reason to lie about this? In fact, you can just ask lizard boy right there! I've got nothing to hide~~"

"Is this true, Natsu-dono?" Jura turned to address his compatriot.

Natsu crossed his arms defiantly. "I saw him chatting with an Oración Seis guy on top of _Nirvana_. He's betrayed _Fairy Tail_ before. What was I supposed to think?"

"See, see? Ah, I feel vindicated~~" Naruto commented smugly.

"As a member of another guild, I do not have the authority to question your decisions. But you will be wise to examine a situation more carefully before rushing in the next time," Jura chastised the dragon slayer, who only stuck his bottom lip out obstinately. Returning his attention to Naruto, Jura addressed the ninja. "We wish to rescue Erza-dono, while you wish to accomplish your goals of, I suppose, world domination. But this barrier prevents any combat from taking place, and it has set us at an impasse. What do you propose we do now, Uzumaki-san?"

"Plan? I don't have a plan. Do I look like a guy with a plan?" Naruto pointed at himself exaggeratedly. "I'm not lookin' for world domination. I'm not like those blithering idiots of Oración Seis. Fiore deserves a better class of villain. And I'm going to give it to them."

"That would be you then," Jura said dryly.

"Righto! I'm a simple guy, with simple tastes. I like…actually, I don't care for most things. Money? Worthless. Power? I've got plenty. I suppose I like women, and I'm not even picky about that," the blond elaborated, waggling an eyebrow. "But mostly I just like to see chaos. Anarchy. Because the only sensible way to live in this world is without rules."

"In the end, you just want to watch the world burn," Gray interjected.

"Do you want me to lie and tell you something else? That I want to free people from the shackles of law, from the corrupt governance of the Magic Council, from a frivolous monarch whose blood is his only mandate?" Naruto scoffed. "I'm not that noble. I'm supposed to be a villain, remember?"

Jura narrowed his eyes. "Regardless, we are still in conversation and not any closer to solving this conundrum."

Naruto chuckled. "Actually, _Nirvana_ is still on its admittedly slow journey towards Magnolia Town, so I have the upper hand. But I'll entertain you…or rather, you'll entertain me."

"And what do you mean by that?"

"I'm sure that pretty boy from Blue Pegasus, the one who knows _Archive_, is busy trying to find out how to stop this beast. How about I give you that information for free?" Naruto offered.

"Why would you do something like that?" Gray pointed out. "You have nothing to gain from that."

The blond man grinned cheerily. "Well, then I'll have more fun! It's no good if everyone dies so quickly. I want to have a challenge at least. Can you imagine how bored I'll be if I just killed everyone who opposed me? S'why I said you'll entertain me, didn't I?"

"Tell us then," Lyon demanded shrewdly. "Since you're so eager to lose."

"Hmm, I'm pretty sure I still have the better cards in my hand. I mean, I control _Nirvana_, none of you can touch me right now, and I even have a hostage, or did you forget Erza-chan?" Naruto taunted. He squeezed his chains down, drawing out a pained groan from the scarlet-haired woman to emphasise his point. "But it's cute to see your enthusiasm. Might I say I feel really loved right now?"

"**Get to the point,**" Kurama interrupted.

"Ooh, so sca~ary!" Naruto mocked. "Fine, fine, fine. Such a spoilsport. You guys noticed there are eight legs right? They're actually magic absorbers that channel power from the earth to these lacrima positioned at the top of each leg. But since they regenerate, you will have to destroy all of them at one go!"

Jura casted a quick look over their motley group. "We only have seven mages capable of destroying a lacrima here."

"**How do you miss a giant fox standing right behind you?**" Kurama grunted in annoyance. "**That's eight, and that's enough. We won't need to call down Blue Pegasus. They can keep an eye on Naruto. And the _Archive_ guy can use his _Telepathy_ to coordinate everyone's attack.**"

"Oh, darn! That pretty boy knows _Telepathy_ too?" Naruto slammed his fist into his palm. "That's so unfair!"

"Yea, and he's been listening in to our entire conversation, and just confirmed that you're telling the truth. I can't believe someone will just tell us how to defeat him," Gray scorned. "I hope you'll be fully entertained when you're sitting in prison waiting for execution, asshole."

"Says the guy who's refusing the advances of a pretty little lady by the name of Juvia," Naruto retorted slyly. "Are you gay? Because she can turn to water at will."

Gray blinked at the non-sequitur. "What do you mean by that?"

"Instant, au naturel lubrication. And the backdoor's always open for business!" the blond _shinobi_ guffawed at his own joke. "And if she can manipulate her throat as well…no gag reflex!"

"Leave the madman alone, and let's go," Lyon pressed a palm against Gray's chest, keeping him from attacking the barrier and wasting his efforts. "We can deal with him later, when he doesn't have _Nirvana_ under his control anymore."

"Ta-ta!" Naruto waved, as Jura freed Natsu from his cage, and the allied mages split up.

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Lucy shuddered as she tried to banish the fresh memories of the terrifying madman that Naruto had turned into. She figured that the man was a good guy, even if he was quite loaded with emotional baggage. If Mira loved him enough to show off the relationship to a guild that pretty much hated his guts, she must have seen something really good in the guy. _And _Nirvana_ turned him into some sort of perverted psychopath who beat Erza, and has a barrier that even a Wizard Saint can't break! Heck, it didn't look scratched when the _Christina_ fired on it! I really shouldn't have come on this mission! I'm not made for this sort of thing! So many things have gone wrong…so many things can still go wrong!_

She dearly wished she hadn't thought of that a moment later, as behind her, she suddenly heard a massive explosion. Flinching, she ducked and pressed her hands over her head to protect it from flying debris if there was any. When nothing rained down on her head, she turned around and looked for the source of the sound. She squeaked in horror as she saw that the _Christina_ was missing the entire bottom half of its hull, and even from the distance, she could tell that it was a clean cut. All over the sides of the airship were holes that belched out smoke and flame as it spiraled towards the ground quite rapidly.

"Oh no, I jinxed things!" Lucy wailed aloud. _What on earth can cut an airship in half like THAT?!_

"Ahem…hello, hello, is this working?" a voice rang out in her head that didn't belong to Hibiki.

"W-Who's that?" Lucy whispered in terror.

The voice chuckled madly, and Lucy bit her bottom lip, hoping beyond hope that it was not _him_. "Woohoo! I knew I could hijack that pretty boy's _Telepathy_ link. Well, it helps that I just shot down his little flying boat, so he can't really focus on kicking me out of the connection. Thanks for the confirmation, Lucy-chan~~"

Lucy squealed in fear, clutching her head and shaking it vigorously. "No, no, no! Get out of my head you crazy freak!"

"That's not nice. I'm not a freak. Nor am I crazy. You guys are just ignorant, unable to see the truth about our world. Really, I'm just ahead of the curve," Naruto replied in a blasé tone. "Now, I just got rid of the conductor in your little orchestra, but I'm sure you will find ways around that."

"Then what's the point of taking them out?" the _Celestial Spirit_ mage cried out.

"Oddly, only Lucy seems interested in talkin' to me. S'no problem, I like it when cute girls talk to me~~" Naruto giggled crazily. "But back on topic. I'm going to make things a little more exciting! Now, as all of you know, _Nirvana_'s under my control now. Which means I can turn anyone to the dark side with a snap of my fingers!"

"WHAT?!" the blonde girl exclaimed.

"Oh yes, that's right. And the range for this thing is ama~zing! I'm going to select one of you to become my good pal," the Uzumaki caroled. "And guess what? Without the pretty boys from Blue Pegasus, you guys will be down to seven! Oh no, whatever will you do?!"

"You're a monster!" Lucy yelled out to the skies.

"Tell that to the people who pay and bet on animal fights, or even boxing. My games are only a little more cruel than theirs," Naruto chirped. Lucy could hear the sound of the blond rubbing his hands together as he continued speaking. "Well, in order to let you guys try and stop me, I've dropped my barrier. But wait! The chains I'm using to tie Erza-chan up, are created from the bottom my feet and go into the ground! Which means I can't move! I'm a sitting duck! Oh no!"

"I'm going to kill you!" came a very recognizable voice over the _Telepathy_. Lucy felt a wave of relief. _Natsu will save the day again; he always does._

A short silence followed, before Naruto's voice was heard clearing his throat. "Oh, and I forgot to mention. Whoever reaches me first gets to become the first baddie! And guess what? We already have a winner!"

"N-Natsu is now on your side?" Lucy voiced shakily.

"That's right~! And whoever comes along to try and stop me will get to become bad guys for a change, just like Natsu!" the ninja cackled. "And here's the cherry on top! I'll be sending Natsu along to hunt people down! Oh, my mind tells me I should aim for Jura-san because he's so strong, but my dick tells me I should get Natsu to kidnap the cute girls for me instead…ooh, the pretty boy dropped out of the _Telepathy_ link. Guess that means I'm anchoring this connection now…well, I don't have anything else to add, so bye bye~~"

The man made an obnoxiously loud clicking sound as he broke the link, leaving Lucy to stare in the direction she came from in horror.

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"Oh, Natsu, Natsu, Natsu, shouldn't you have learnt by now that charging in recklessly will do you no good?" Naruto chided, wagging his finger as he leaned over the dragon slayer.

The pink-haired mage was sitting on the ground in shock, finding that despite possessing all of his mental faculties, he was unable to control his body. Sadly, he could still feel his motion sickness. Happy was unconscious, the flying cat having been immobilized with _Sleep Magic_ once more. Naruto giggled insanely as he raised his right hand, and wriggled his fingers. To Natsu's shock, his body started to respond in quirky ways, as if the blond man was controlling him like a puppeteer controls his marionettes.

"You did accuse me of being a puppeteer before, didn't you?" Naruto sighed melodramatically. "You hurt my feelings, you really did. But I decided to embrace the concept instead. Now I'm a puppeteer, and you're my little doll! We're going to have lots of fun together!"

Natsu's eyes widened, but his mouth refused to respond to his commands as he tried to shout at his adversary. Naruto clucked his tongue in false disapproval. "Now, toys aren't supposed to talk back to their owners, you know? You're just asking for a punishment. I didn't really plan on sending you running around to attack your friends. I was just teasing them, 'specially that scaredy-cat Lucy-chan. But now…you're making me mad."

Tapping his chin with his left index finger, Naruto tilted his head as he stared at the sky. "Hmm…like I told the rest, it makes sense to send you to weaken Jura. But there's no fun in that. It'll just be a manly, testosterone-fueled fight, and there won't be any wailing or screaming. That rules out the other guys too. And Kurama. So it's down to the girls…"

"Well, you fought Sherry before, and she's from another guild, so that's less fun," Naruto rambled on. "Lucy or Wendy…hmm, both sound like good choices. Who to pick, who to pick…"

Natsu struggled with all his will, but could only scream within his mind as Naruto twitched a single finger, causing him to try and bend his leg over his shoulder and turn into a human pretzel. "Well, Wendy-chan has Carla for company, so she'll be kept calm…mostly. Lucy-chan though…hmm, she'll be scared out of her wits by now, especially by the thought of her dearest friend Natsu trying to kill her. But we gotta let that fear fester a little more, or it won't be as fun…and well, Erza-chan's got the well-endowed part down, so I think I should get someone a little…flat, to mix things up. What do you say, Natsu?"

Against his desire, his head nodded jerkily. Naruto clapped his hands together, inadvertently causing Natsu to knee his own jaw. "Oh, how wonderful! You agree that we should go after Wendy-chan!"

Naruto squatted down beside the fire-breathing mage, using his left hand to lift up Natsu's right. He peered closely at the appendage. "Hmm…no claws. Then there won't be a lot of blood. That's not good. And your fire will cauterize any wound too! You're a party pooper even when you're just a doll. How annoying. I guess I'll just have to give you a knife or something…"

From out of nowhere, a three-pronged knife appeared in Naruto's palm, and he presented the weapon to Natsu. Hurling curses at the Uzumaki within his head did nothing to change the situation, as he found himself reaching for the weapon shakily. He could feel the rough, sweat-stained cloth chafing against his palm as he wrapped his fingers around the hilt, holding the weapon in a reverse grip. Naruto patted his head condescendingly, flashing him an encouraging grin.

"Go on, Pinocchio! Go and do papa proud!" Naruto urged playfully.

Natsu stood up, but as he straightened, his body stopped moving. Thinking it was the spell wearing off and an opportunity for him to break free of Naruto's control, he focused all his will on moving his hand, hoping that he could overcome the spell and stab the blond man in one swift move. Instead, his face was flushed with futile effort as Naruto exhaled exaggeratedly. "Oh dear, looks like my control isn't all that good. Maybe I should just teleport Wendy-chan here and save the trouble of sending you out."

Even if the dragon slayer had any control over his own motor functions, he would still have froze on the spot as Wendy tumbled out of thin air, dropping a few meters from Natsu's feet. A single chain erupted from the earth to snag Wendy by the waist, and lift the squirming girl off the ground and facing Natsu. More chains appeared, locking Wendy's head in place so that she was staring right at Natsu even as her limbs flailed about wildly. Step by step, Natsu's spasmodic movement drew him closer to his fellow dragon slayer as he clasped his other hand around the one wielding the knife, raising the small weapon high above his head.

Tears sprung from Wendy's eyes as she watched her friend approach her with the tri-pronged _kunai_, with a clear intent to stab her. Hot liquid streamed down Natsu's cheeks as he realized that he was about to kill his own friend because of foolhardiness on his part. His body jerked to a halt, the knife raised the highest his arms could reach. As his hands swung down, Natsu instinctively squeezed his eyes shut, unable to meet Wendy's terrified gaze.

Then, cold steel entered his gut, and his eyes snapped wide open. Wendy was splattered with blood, but it wasn't her own. Her brown eyes, wide with fright, stared at the bloody wound Natsu had inflicted on himself. Hands coated liberally in his own vital fluids, Natsu raised them once more against his will. He reached out and doodled a bloody spiral on Wendy's cheek, the petite girl shaking in unadulterated fear. When his crooked drawing was done, he drew back, before promptly punching himself in the face.

As he fell to the ground, more chains came up to capture him, and began to drain his energy rapidly. Naruto was on the ground as well, but he was laughing instead, the man clutching his stomach and stomping the ground, chains connected from the bottom of his feet to the ground visible when he raised each leg. It took a while for him to recover and climb to his feet, a few errant chuckles still escaping his lips. "Oh my god, the expressions on your faces were priceless!"

"You…bastard…" Natsu gritted his teeth, having found his ability to speak once more.

"Goodness, that was so much fun! And I didn't even have to use _Nirvana_ to change you like I said I did!" Naruto wiped a tear from his eye. "Pinocchio, I hope you learnt an important lesson here!"

"W-What do you m-mean?" Wendy stuttered fearfully.

"Ah, I only used a rudimentary puppetry technique to control his body. If I actually used _Nirvana_ to turn him into a bad guy, his personality will be completely different, like what happened to me!" Naruto explained gleefully. "Instead, I manipulated his body so that he will feel the shame and regret as he sees himself trying to kill his own friend! And all because of his own stupid-"

"_Second Origin: Release_!"

Naruto whirled around quickly as Erza's magic reserves, kept low by his chains, suddenly burst through the roof. Her powerful aura was enough to even dissolve Naruto's chakra chains, the metallic links evaporating into wisps of chakra that scattered into the winds. A new set of armour Naruto had never seen before was already on the _Requip_ mage's body, the blue and gold-trimmed robe held closed with a purple rope. It was not her most defensive of armours, with golden pauldrons and greaves the only real protection. The white sash that flowed in a loop behind her head, the tiara and the _kimono_-like robe would have given her a regal feel, were it not for her rather exposed cleavage.

"Second Origin, huh? Shoulda expected you to pull another rabbit out of the hat," Naruto remarked, admiring the huge halberd with the golden hand guard that appeared more ceremonial than functional. "So, the armour's really pretty, and I like the way it shows the valley of your breasts, but what does it do? I'm not going to be slow enough to let you catch me with that big, unwieldy glaive."

"You are unable to move because you're still holding Natsu and Wendy hostage with your chains, which means I don't have to worry about not hitting you. You revealed that weakness to everyone quite readily not moments ago," Erza riposted calmly. "But I have a feeling you will have a way of avoiding my attack in any case. No, I have another idea in mind."

Grasping her massive halberd with both hands, she yelled as she spun gracefully, the weapon slashing across the base of the pillar. Naruto's eyes widened as he released his chains to dash forward, but he was too late to reach and stop Erza. The brilliant light that had surrounded the pillar for so long flickered wildly as the clean, diagonal cut forced the white marble structure to slide off its own base, before crashing to the ground with a earthshaking thud. As the pillar shattered into hundreds of pieces, Naruto howled, staggering back as if physically hit. Clutching his head, he bent over, clearly affected by the magical backlash the sudden destruction of _Nirvana_ caused.

"Natsu! Take Wendy and go find the lacrima!" Erza ordered, as the Fire Dragon Slayer prepared to attack Naruto while he was distracted. "I can handle things from here! GO!"

Throwing a reluctant, hateful glare at Naruto, the two dragon slayers fled, leaving only Naruto and Erza in the shallow crater. The swordswoman stood in place, watching Naruto's reactions vigilantly. She had hoped that with her _Nakagami Armour_'s special properties, she could destroy the pillar that not even her _Armadura Fairy_ could scratch. And by destroying the pillar, she not only prevented _Nirvana_ from being used in a nefarious way, she could break the machine's connection with Naruto, which could potentially free him from the spell he was under.

"I'm _kill_ not going _me now_ to fall _before it's_ so easily _too late_!" Naruto grunted out, gnashing his teeth as blood trickled from both nostrils.

It was clear that the destruction of the control pillar had given the real Naruto a chance of retaking his body, but there was no telling which side of him would emerge victorious. The evil that _Nirvana_ absorbed from the world was not something anyone could just throw off. There was no choice but to attack and hope for the best.

Erza shut her eyes briefly, muttering a prayer under her breath. _Forgive me._

Brown orbs blazing, Erza roared as she charged forward. Naruto's right hand was thrust in her general direction, a spiraling blast of wind tearing across the broken landscape. Erza twirled her halberd, shouting as she slashed through the gale with ridiculous ease. The glaive spun in wide, elegant arcs as Erza closed the gap, slashing across Naruto's torso. Blood spurted from the grievous wound that stretched from right shoulder to left hip, but the blond man remained standing. Erza didn't relent, twisting and smashing the butt of her halberd against Naruto's temple. The ninja stumbled, stunned, but was coherent enough to grab her weapon by the pole on the follow-up slash.

Erza gritted her teeth as the blond, his eyes a mottled, mish-mash of blue and gray, planted both hands on the handle of her halberd, right below the huge blade. In that position, Erza had little leverage for breaking Naruto's grip, and couldn't slash at him either. Moreover, due to the length of the weapon, she couldn't manipulate herself close enough to land blows with her fists without leaving her body open. If she tried kicking, he could easily destabilise her and send her sprawling.

Then, suddenly, Erza found herself falling forwards, only just keeping herself upright with a quick adjustment of her footing. Her eyes bulged in shock as her glaive slid through flesh and bone with little resistance, dousing her in a fine, scarlet mist.

Naruto had pulled on the glaive, the blade carving right through the blond man's abdomen and emerging from the other side of his body. The wide blade had entered his body horizontally, and had it been any wider it would have bifurcated him. The only thing keeping the weapon from penetrating even deeper was the decorative ring at base of the non-cutting edge. A river of blood gushed from the fatal wound, pooling at the ninja's feet. More blood spurted out of his lips, coating his chin in crimson.

Erza's startled gaze met Naruto's weary cerulean orbs, a brilliant azure that had once captured many an adolescent heart. But while there might have been a sparkle in his eye in the past, now there was only anguish. His hands fell to his sides limply, before his legs gave way. Erza pulled out her halberd and tossed the large weapon aside as she reached out to try and hold the boneless man up, her arms hooked beneath his armpits.

"Naruto-san, stay with me!" Erza cried.

Naruto's head fell onto the crimson-haired woman's shoulder, muttering apology after apology. His voice got softer and softer as Erza lowered the both of them to their knees. Circling one arm around his torso to try and keep him upright, she deftly removed her sash to wrap around his stomach even as she shouted for Wendy. But no Sky Dragon Slayer appeared, and the cloth was soaked through in seconds. Once she knotted the sash on Naruto's back, she shouted once more for the Cait Shelter mage, but to no avail. It was then that she finally noticed that Naruto was no longer speaking. His naked torso, pressed against her thinly clothed chest, told her the rest.

His heart was no longer beating.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **FINALLY watched _Fate/Zero_. Goodness, that's a **ton** of parallels between Naruto/Kiritsugu and Holy Grail/_Nirvana_. I'm surprised I didn't get even more reviews referring to _Fate_...

I interpreted _Nirvana_'s influence not just as good-to-evil, but also a 180° personality twist. So Good!Naruto is my concept of a gritty hero, and Bad!Naruto his archnemesis. I admit to being inspired by the Joker and apologise for the plagiarised quotes, but they were too good to pass up.

If Bad!Naruto appears bipolar/crazy, I intended it. As for the sexual violation... I figured it would further emphasise the personality change between Good! and Bad!Naruto, and less people might complain about how Naruto doesn't just annihilate everyone. Plus, the character interactions post-Oración Seis will be more interesting to write.

Since _Nirvana_ started with eight legs, I presume there were eight lacrima. On Erza's _Second Origin_ and _Na__kagami Armour,_ I'm assuming that it belongs to her, and that she was the one to wear it ten years ago. Now, Levy was the one to mention the 'ten years' thing, but she read the fact off a book. So, if the book was published in X791, ten years ago is when Erza was 16. Works for me.

Wanted to use the Rune Knights, but the fight didn't go as planned. None of my fight scenes ever go as planned...

I hope you guys aren't too disappointed with how things played out. But I think it fits my story better than just straight-up violence. That reminds me, I really should change the genre labels for _La Tormenta_. 'Drama' seems appropriate...any other suggestions? Angst? Maybe...romance? :P

On another note, I try to add plot twists to surprise my readers. But I really want to try a dab of foreshadowing like pros do. So I decided to sprinkle hints around for a big twist I'm planning. I thought of making the clues obvious, but that doesn't fit _La Tormenta_'s style. So I went with subtle, and lo and behold, no one has found the hint I left in the previous chapter. Should I be proud of that? :D

Unfortunately, you guys might have to live with this chapter for a while. College is starting within a month, and I don't know if I can find time to write. Hopefully I will. Not going to declare a hiatus or anything, because look how pointless it was the last time I did. Just know that I haven't abandoned the story, and I will definitely inform you guys if I do.

Oh, and I've noticed that I somehow made Natsu disliked amongst my readers, when I only tried to keep him in character. I think you guys are really tired of canon Naruto/Natsu's personalities, aren't you?

**P.S.** I've posted up a Hanzō challenge on my profile. Someone please write an awesome Hanzō story! Thanks!


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